I think that the other force is that the skills that are being created by ML Ph.D programs get commodified.
I don't think this will happen, because typing "import tensorflow.keras.*" isn't the skill that an ML Ph.D develops, and it is the part of the skill set that is (and will be) commodity along with the automl stuff.
Constructing a problem, handling the data and running a proper process is harder, and it's the value that will put processes that use ML at risk, and deliver differentiating value for the ones where it works.
I don't think this will happen, because typing "import tensorflow.keras.*" isn't the skill that an ML Ph.D develops, and it is the part of the skill set that is (and will be) commodity along with the automl stuff.
Constructing a problem, handling the data and running a proper process is harder, and it's the value that will put processes that use ML at risk, and deliver differentiating value for the ones where it works.