I train people to use the laser cutter/engravers at my makerspace. Leather lasers wonderfully. One cautionary note though: Don't cut chrome-tanned leather as this will release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere—hurting you and the machine. If you don't know what it is, don't cut it. It's that serious. (If you want to cut these types of leather, consider getting a drag-knife setup like a Cricut/Silhouette or CNC Router.)
As to the discussion on technology vs. handmade, I see the laser as a simple evolution of the head knife or scissors. It gives me more time to concentrate on the design of the piece, tooling, and finishing.