[artlogic]

My suggestion to you is simple: if you want to do artificial intelligence research then do it. Make a website. Self-publish. Promote yourself. If you are truly brilliant (as you seem to think you are) then you will be noticed. There are always positions for hard working brilliant people.

It's also worth saying that the majority of groundbreaking research being done these days is being done in the private sector. These people care less about degrees than results. Prove you can produce and you won't find it difficult to obtain employment.

While you research you can work just about anywhere - you don't need access to much to do research - a library, a computer, a notebook. Being poor is actually a good thing for research - money causes distraction. Most grad students are dirt poor.

As a side note, I think we're all a bit confused by your story. What is the "crap" you are tolerating? If you really know all of it already, shouldn't it all be easy? I think that perhaps some of the issues you are experiencing may have something to do with poor communication more than anything else. Most professors are willing to work with you on a more challenging project if the given project is elementary and boring to you.