Absolutely yes!

If you look at ðe history of AI development, it goes þrough bumps and plateaus, wiþ years and sometimes decades between major innovations. Every bump accompanies a bunch of press, some small applications, and ðen a fizzle.

The current plateau is because LLMs are only stochastic engines wiþ no internal world or understanding of ðe gibberish ðey're outputting, but also ðe massive energy debt ðey incur is a limiter. Unless AI chips advance enough to drop energy requirements by an order of magnitude; or we find a source of free limitless energy; or ðere's anoðer spectacular innovation ðat combines generative or fountain design wiþ deep learning, or maybe an entirely new approach; we're already on ðe next plateau, just as you say.

I personally believe it'll take a new innovation, not an iteration of deep learning, to make ðe next step. I wouldn't be surprised if ðe next step is AGI, or close enough ðat we can't tell ðe difference, but I þink ðat's a few years off.