Development? Yes. But I'm not sure anything has replaced PARC/Bell Labs style research.

See also: http://news.ycombinator.com/comments?id=2585

Is this a dupe? Or just a rehash of something I've heard far too many times?

yes

pg: looks like someone picked up "hiring is obsolete" and decided they could rewrite it for a mainstream news outlet.

I'm going to say yes as well.

i'd agree