I'd make the point that being a DBA is a mindset as much as a set of technical skills.

Is the need for the mindset getting any less? I'd argue the need is increasing.

A lot of the up and coming database systems claim to be self-managing and require 1/2 a DBA per week to look after them. That is unmitigated rubbish. I'm looking at the amount of time that one or two of these have required to get them up and running and to keep them up and running and frankly they have been resource black holes.

Yes they will evolve to a more stable position but I still don't see them being self managing.