> when the companies funding the research and launching the products realize that the tools are an existential threat to their profits.

Ahh, like Kodak when they were the first to create digital cameras, a good 10 years ahead of the competition, and decided to shelf it because it would eat the nice profits of their film business?

This strategy always works wonders :)

I would actually like if the big tech companies didn't invest in AI to keep their profits. They would eventually be swallowed by other companies that didn't.