One argument for an intelligence explosion is that automating the tasks needed to complete the R&D cycle for producing smarter intelligences could suffice; automating all human labor or all remote work is not required.

“so then this brings us to the intelligence explosion because what people will say is we don't need to automate literally everything that is needed for automating remote work,”

“let alone all human labor.”

“human labor in general we just need to automate the things which are necessary to fully close the R&D cycle needed to make smarter intelligences and if you do this you get a very rapid intelligence explosion”