Someone still has to man the lengthy manufacturing and supply chains to build these things and their consumables plus someone needs to be deployed into the theater of operations to perform logistical support and maintenance to keep your hypothetical killbots in action. (Automated manufacturing is one thing, automated diagnosis and repair is quite another.)
Someone also has to have acquired enough military expertise to command these units effectively, something "a certain technical elite" feels is beneath them.
Someone also has to have acquired enough military expertise to command these units effectively, something "a certain technical elite" feels is beneath them.