> when does AI flip from "powerful automation with humans propping it up" to autonomous output?
Another scenario of economics is that AI does not not necessarily output autonomously, but does output so much so fast that companies will require fewer workers, as the economy does not scale as fast to consume the additional output or to demand more labor for the added efficiency.
This is just standard automation, which always increases the scope and size of the economy. Automation actually results in a net increase in jobs.