Given that the majority (as in around 90%) of people are no longer agricultural serfs or slaves toiling in the fields, I'd say that automation has definitely led to better lives.

IIRC, the breakdown was typically around 1% lords and priests, 9+% soldiers to protect the lords and priests against other lords and priests, and 90% unfree agricultural labor of one form or another (being a serf was slightly better than being a slave, but only a bit).