What they describe sounds like the way NKorea is currently described, except that escape is still possible there. Very, very difficult, but still possible.
From the title. I initially thought they talking about something like the JWilliamson's 'humanoids'.
Robots that took over ruling mankind "for their own good" only much more openly malevolent.
Instead it sounds more like a return to ancient time where 10% (or even less) of the pop lives relatively well-off while the rest live short, ugly lives under grinding poverty.
With a hi-tech twist, of course.
All-in-all pretty bleak.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------