@MattBinder the metaphor is broken anyway, because for it to make sense we'd have to currently have robots doing all our physical labor. I don't think the construction workers finishing the beautiful buildings across the street from me would be very happy if they were told their work was not "modern day work." (In fact, they can confidently say something that no techbro can: in 20 years their work will still be standing and people will still be admiring it.)

People building things using their hands are paid, and people doing knowledge work are paid. Everyone does the kind of work that suits them, and everyone needs to find ways outside of work to enrich themselves in the other ways.

So it just goes back again to the fact that the AI-elitist dream is having slaves for everything. And then yes indeed the ruling class would need to artificially exercise both their bodies and minds while they sit on their thrones otherwise doing nothing.

Have they realized it is not very fulfilling to do nothing?