You really don't know any serious engineers using AI for real projects? Donald Knuth himself has written about his success using AI to solve long standing problems he has been interested in. I dont know if there is anyone more deserving of the "serious engineer" label than him.

I personally know of very serious AI projects running at some of the biggest, most successful tech companies in the world. These aren't "another version of a web concept", they are serious projects solving serious problems.

There are all sorts of valid criticisms about AI, but you aren't making them.