Or do the trio have the wrong basic handle on neural networks and AI in general?
That would be very embarrassing. Failure to understand the filtering/CLT aspects of neural networks. That non-linear behavior introduces high frequency components that are repeatedly smoothed down again and other basic viewpoints.
And while the weighted sum has many nice properties as a linear associative memory it also has terrible flaws in the form of additive/subtractive spurious responses.
An all round failure to look at/calculate/instrument the behavior of the basic elements.
It’s likely there won’t be another AI winter, but there may need to be a restart. Especially getting a proper scientific engineering mathematical grip on things right from the very basics.