I would say that this guy is a software guy.  The type that rarely uses his hands to make anything.  Yes, information technology has gotten real cheap and will continue to advance.  The real cause for the dramatic drop in prices for clothing and other consumer items is not technology, but outsourcing to countries with radically lower labor costs.  Yes, automation plays a role, but the cheap labor is a major factor.  As far as poverty going away ignores the fact the food production is not getting much cheaper, nor is the production of dwellings.  Transportation is also increasing in cost.  Driverless cars are a long way off and likely will not be practical until roads have been redesigned.  The cost of a mistake is simply too great (i.e. death) to tolerate even a reasonably reliable system.  Those software types have distorted views, but then I guess we are all trapped by our immediate experiences.