For people who do art just for fun, AI is a net positive.
That's why employment is relevant to the quip.
Would you please clarify something? You're saying that we need to be freed from "artistic and creative chores" -- so that we can be free to do what?
For me personally, the highest-quality leisure I can think of is to follow creative pursuits and hone my artistic abilities (e.g. playing a musical instrument, making something with my hands, etc.)
We've had superhuman chess AI for decades and that hasn't stopped anyone playing chess. But if I want to review a game showcasing the highest level of chess play I wouldn't turn to human games. Similarly, sooner or later, if I want a specific picture of something I'm not going to be wasting the time of an artist to get it.
Like you’re missing a huge and meaningful chunk of one of the best parts of humanity.
And how do you think that attitude is limiting anyone? It seems fairly open to me.
Historically, that has just been not true.
It is entirely about the prospect of technology serving people by freeing their time from chores to pursue luxury activities. Instead of that expectation, the reality of technological advancement that AI has given us so far has been to do those pursuits of pleasure for us, while we still have to do mundane, unfulfilling chores in our daily lives.
It's purely a tongue-in-cheek quip about our daily lives. It follows the standard formula for pretty much all one-liners jokes. Some technology- vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, laundry machines- eliminated many hours of work. Instead of advancing this kind of benefit for people, the technology took the benefit for itself.
Setup, juxtaposed by punchline.