Maybe, but I know what my laser focus will be on for the next few weeks. I suspect a massive number of researchers around the world have just switched their focus in a similar way. The resources applied to this problem have been going up exponentially and the recent RL techniques have now opened the floodgates for anyone with a 4090 (or even smaller!) to try crazy things. In a world where the resources are constant I would agree with your basic assertion that 'it is right around the corner' will stay that way, but in a world where resources are doubling this fast there is no doubt we are about to achieve it.