I'd have to dispute that--ATF change intervals are about the same as clutch change intervals (disregarding the "lifetime ATF" crap that manufacturers peddle) but cost far less, and otherwise automatic transmissions today last the lifetime of the car.
if so inclined, you can repair or replace your own clutch (as a hobbyist or someone who is mechanically inclined), but doing the same to a hydraulic-based automatic transmission or a CVT is a tall order unless you are professionally trained.
No it isn't.
Cars with auto transmission costs and extra thousand but you get it back when you sell the car, plus you won't rack up expensive repairs and towing.
Not only are automatic transmissions significantly more complicated, they also fail catastrophically.
Your clutch is a consumable part. Consider it a writeoff. You might replace it once in your time owning the car if you hold on to it forever, and you still haven't made up the $2k difference in MSRP/whatever the difference may be on the used market.
That being said there's obvious cause for the shift to all-automatic, just like we'll all be using self-driving cars not long in the future.
However what concerns me is that automatic transmissions are not only more expensive in general, but harder to maintain / less reliable. That a trend of laziness has created this demand, to the point where 97% of US consumers choose to pay more to automate the process I find so enjoyable.
To be fair a majority use case for driving is daily commute, and it's not nearly as fun to drive a manual in heavy traffic as it is to cruise windy roads on the weekend.