Hopeless? Doc, are you telling me there's no cure?!?
In fact, when most people talk about AI, they mean it in the sense of, "do you think computers will one day be as intelligent as humans?". Cf. the moviefilm "AI". If that kind of AI is what you wish to pursue, then the so-called field of AI isn't going to get you there.
I'm reclaiming the term AI for actual AI from the minority that's misusing it and we're having a Pride march on the 23rd. Wheel out your servers and "represent".