* Control algorithms are possible and are not dependant on passive components that control poles and zeros , also passives age with environmental conditions alters characteristics, firmware doesn't.
Unfortunately high ripple current input and output electrolytic capacitors are still going to age altering the control loop. Maybe the controller will be able to adaptively compensate for this over time. Fail-safe operation would be nice but I have not seen it as a significant problem in existing designs.
* Efficiency and performance.
I am not convinced that efficiency will be improved significantly but performance for a given power density could be. I would hope reliability is improved simply because of better monitoring.
* Lower design BOM and maintenance cost.
Won't the maintenance cost be the same as it is now? Throw it away and buy a new one? It certainly will not be any more repairable.
* Flexibly power control algorithms are upgradable as firmware.* Intelligent software control management.
* Intellectual property now resides on the chip as software so its harder for copy cats.
I would add, "Easier and more effective hardware rights management." This will become another rent extraction tool. With some of the dumb design decisions I have seen recently, it could also be a security problem.
You don't have to believe me its already taken off.
I do not doubt these exist. I doubt that it will be a universal replacement for existing controllers except in specific applications and I am dubious of the marketing claims being made. Of course it is the greatest thing since, well, ever.
The hard part is programming the system and the amount of work involved taking DSP theory into the power control world, Microchip has a good app note with source (written in assembly) on this subject that uses a DSC.
I expect that the manufacturers pushing these solutions will work hard to reduce the needed design work to cookbook engineering level.