Total liberation- which will be the apex of human existence.

This is far in the future after we deal with all the messy transitions. But the way I see it, we work to live and not the other way around. And so when we can live freely without the need to work, we will become free to exist fully.

When some of us were less burdened by physical labor, those few thought about higher things like gravity, relativity, electricity, poetry, philosophy, etc. I don't think the minds of Kant and Kepler could have the opportunity to achieve what they did if they were too busy breaking their backs farming fields from dawn till dusk every single day. And I don't think there is something genetically special about Plato and Descartes. I think if more people 'got comfortable' then we will see more of the human genius shine. This is shown in how many have amazing talents and insights today compared to past generations.

I see that in pets, and in animals in the zoo. The tricks they do is because they got comfortable. So we started to see what they can really do. Who would have thought that a seal can balance a ball on its nose? Or that a parrot could mimic talking? Or how smart pigs are? But in the wild, they are too busy trying to survive.

About meaning: meaning is given. And even with full automation, if someone wants to work, they can. The good thing is that no one is forced to work. How many today dislike their jobs? Look at the popular joke of what is the first thing you'd do if you win the lotter? A very popular answer is "quit my job with a bang!" (as in make a scene of quitting). The amusement in that means there is some truth behind that.

In that future scenario, you don't have to do woodwork or paint in a very specific way to meet a specific deadline to be paid a certain amount to then live your life a little then repeat the cycle. You can just do woodwork or paint unconstrained. How many architects in the world today have a pet project that they can never build because no one will pay them to do it?

The best thing about such a far future scenario is options, options, options. You can do anything while not be forced to do anything. For me, that would be contemplating humanity and thinking about the far edges of the universe. To others, it may be entertainment all day long. Whatever it is, it is total freedom of the mind unshackled by the burden of survival.

Or I may have completely misunderstood your question.