There is no tough road, we just dont want it.
AI is like duping / hacking in items in a video game. Its just not the same as earning it yourself. When we watch a video that is clearly AI we know its an amalgamation of stolen material from real humans who you could have just hired.
I was learning about that math problem AI "solved" recently (the one about fluid dynamics). It was so on brand for AI to swoop in at the end and solve the problem on the backs of every piece of research that came before it and then claim the win as if it earned its spot at the proverbial podium.
