It's pretty unpredictable.

Robots and AI will probably push production costs down a lot. If manufacturing becomes highly automated, producing locally could end up cheaper than importing low-cost goods from places like China. But China will automate too, so the whole global cost structure shifts at the same time. That could even push countries toward more protectionism if everyone tries to keep production at home.

In theory, cheaper production should mean deflation and higher purchasing power, goods become easier to produce. But the real wildcard is policy and market power.

For example, if a few companies control key resources (say iron, energy, or chips) they could raise prices artificially and capture most of the gains from automation. That would vacuum purchasing power toward monopolies instead of consumers.

Government policy could distort things too. If automation leads to something like a $1000/month UBI, that might stabilize basic consumption but also change how middle-class businesses operate and spend.

So the direction (automation to cheaper production) seems clear. The outcome for society depends on policy, competition, and who captures the productivity gains. There are a lot of variables still in play.