I understand the disappointment. I was disappointed when the narrator said, "This is the essence of the Second Renaissance." Well, uh, duh.

And while I was initially disappointed like you, I think that you were hoping for an ending that described everything a la Star Trek, where this short wasn't attempting that. It was building the character of the machines. We know who humans are, we can identify with them. We don't know the machines, nor their motives. This showed that the machines are ruthless killers interested in self-preservation without strife. And it showed their determination to get there. That nuke in the end, after the signing was indicitave of that.

And the imagery of the Apple (think Eve) was crazy powerful to boot.