While it may be technically true, the article simply uses it as a "hook"; and instead of explaining the likely plethora of factors contributing to that, it allows the reader to assume it is because of AI, which is ridiculous.
Because of the article's title? Why would I want to learn about that, when I opened an article about AI?
Let's engage with reality a moment: A country like Kenya "leapfrogged" credit cards because they failed to implement them on a useful timeline compared to other countries. Leapfrogging by falling behind isn't the great example the article wants it to be.
"We believe that the same way mobile payments leapfrogged credit cards in some markets, and mobile phones leapfrogged desktop computers in developing economies, AI too will (at least initially) leapfrog more legacy technologies that don’t have a “good enough” palliative (I mean alternative) in place."
>Leapfrogging by falling behind isn't the great example the article wants it to be.
It doesn't really matter if you end up with a better solution anyway, it's really the point of the article.
I mean, it's true, but it is a classic lead-up to a superficially convincing-sounding, yet incorrect, just-so explanation of _why_ that is. Which they then go on to make.