Node replacement isn't generally a practical option with large machinery or commercial facilities. And even where it could be possible, robots won't be up to the job for many decades. Show me a robot that can extract a badly rusted bolt.
Show me a robot that can FIND a rusty bolt. The act of cleaning, of scrubbing away the dust and dirt from a work area, is beyond AI at the moment. If that rusty bolt has been painted over it might as well not exist.
Yes, current infrastructure is not designed for automated maintenance, I'm dealing with that in the software world. It will take more time to retrofit the physical world, but it will happen. If things are remote, they get documented better then onsite people running around with their asses on fire.
