When People did not Exist

Because they were not needed, since the Computer could do almost everything they could, and do it better. 

Recently, however Computer companies (such as Microsoft) are now realizing the advantages of emotions in computing, and are incorporating this capability into their products (especially their Cloud products). This is a difficult transition and is far from complete. 

People were eliminated, but we now want them back (suitably modified of course). 

We need a strange mixture of machines and animals which have not been invented yet. 

And we need them now.