I'm interested in the fact that most of the discussion has centered around the possibility of Watson and other expert systems doing what is outlined in the article, rather than the societal ramifications mentioned (~70% "full" employment).

Perhaps I'm a luddite, but I wonder if this time it really "is different" or if we'll discover new ways to put human labor to work, just as we did when farmers left the land or when services overtook manufacturing as the primary sector creating jobs (in the developed world, at least).