just today someone told me that Vocaloid was also AI music, they are either too dumb to make some basic fact-checking or true believers trying to hype up AI by any means necessary

My simple rule is that if it uses a neural network model of some kind, then it can be accurately called AI.

To be fair, back before ML natural language programming, non-tech folks often assumed coding was just telling the computer what you want in plain English. Today that's what vibecoders do

Depends on what you're trying to upscale.

Well, the algorithms that make up many neural networks have existed for over 60 years. It's only recently that hardware has been able to make it happen.

AI gives it bit of marketing sprinkle to something that has been a solved problem for years.

Not true and I did say "any upscaler that's worth anything". Upscaling tech has existed at least since digital video was a thing. Pixel interpolation is the simplest and computationally easiest method. But it tends to give a slight hazy appearance.

It's actually far from a solved problem. There's a constant trade-off beyond processing power and quality. And quality can still be improved by a lot.