They can't see past their next set of financial statements and their stock prices. They are unable to act in long term interest, just as capital has outsourced our industry and destroyed the base of consumers that were buying their products in the first place.

Who knows what they think though, they are all very impressed with themselves and their ability you can be sure, they could well have very warped views on how it would play out if they got their way.

I think it is non-manual labour that they want to replace. In their world, people will still have to earn money, but not with their brain or expertise but with their hands and/or bodies.

Once labor is replaced it can be liquidated. 8 million humans will own all the earth and it's resources no need to share with the other 8 billion anymore.