If the phrase "The DBA is Dead" is like saying "Dinosaurs are Dead", then it's not reallly true, because we're surrounded by the descendents of dinosaurs and VAX administrators who evolved into something new. It is true that the DBA who doesn't adapt and keep up with technology and expectations certainly is dead. If you're just a schmuck who clocks in at 9pm and out at 5pm, following a check list of daily tasks and trying not to rock the boat, then you are are good as dead.

Even if the organization automates or outsources the more routine backup and monitoring tasks, there are so many other things a DBA can focus their time on. When things slow down, the gap between disaster recovery and troubleshooting, the DBA can create opportunity by promoting initiatives like upgrading to the next version of SQL Server or building a reporting data mart. That's the real value of a human DBA, the ability to analyze and innovate solutions outside the box.