I rather like the basic system behind it (reminds me a lot of FF Tactics where I'd get randomly generated units too which I needed to train to use and could send them on missions on their own and talk to them in the tavern and all that).
But, you know, I could also do actual fights together with them, which is a thought in the far-off future at best in FFXIV so far.. :/

Oh well, I guess they are just not ready yet to let us wander off on our own with NPCs. I assume they'll add it when the "no one is doing old content anymore even with our extra incentives but we HAVE to give players the possibility to clear that content" argument gets stronger than the "players won't bother playing with other players anymore when they can have NPCs instead" argument.