irrespective of what qualities of competence AI might actually have

That competence mostly applies as a net negative when it's being used in its present state because of who owns and who commands it. The "competence" isn't thrilling or inspiring people that are getting denied medical because a computer program "accidentally" denied them healthcare, or when they experience increasingly sophisticated profiling and surveillance technology, or when people who previously paid bills with artistic talents get outbid by cheap-to-free treat printing technology.

At a ground level among common people, outside of science fiction scenarios in their movies and shows and games, asking them to be particularly "curious" about such things when they're only feeling downward pressure from them is condescending and I don't blame some for being knee-jerk against it, or against those scolding them for not being enthusiastic enough.

I 100% agree that the ownership of these models is what we should be concerned with, and I think dismissing the models as dumb parlor tricks undercuts the dire necessity to seize these for public use. What concerns me with these conversations is that people leave them thinking the entire topic of AI is unworthy of serious consideration, and I think that's hubris.

That was not my position, though I do on the side mock the singularity cultists and false claims about how close the robot god's construction is, and I also condemn reductionist derision of living human beings with edgy techbro terminology like "meat computers" while trying to boost their favorite LLM products.