Every recording that features a drum machine is using a robot for a drummer. Granted, it's possible to add human-like imperfections to a drum track made by a machine, but still, it's not like there's a shortage of available drummers to play those gigs; the artists and producers choose them in many instances.
I view it this way: Perfect time is one thing, mechanized feel is another. Being able to play with a metronome and NOT sound like you're playing with a metronome is a high art. So is being able to play just behind or ahead of the click as needed. Those are the skills that get some drummers work that the rest can't get.
Perfect time is not essential to my listening experience. Some of my favorite music has noticeable tempo fluctuations. But I've never heard anyone complain a drummer's time was too good. Maybe too stiff, but being able to play without speeding up and slowing down is a great tool to have.
And if you have the skill, you can always choose not to use it. But someone without it can't just turn it on. Better to use a metronome to get the good time and have command over when you let the time breathe rather than throw caution to the wind and hope for the best.