for comparable skill levels the time it takes to produce 3D content again dwarfs that of 2D content
In my experience, the skill levels can't be compared like that. A 3D artist is a difference in kind from a 2D artist.
It's not nearly as difficult to create 3D content as you're suggesting, though.
you need a lot of structured 2D content for it to be shaded and texture mapped/baked correctly.
Actually, this isn't how ZBrush works. You can paint your model in whatever fashion you want. There's no structure needed, and no baking process. The final step is to convert the high-res painted model into a low-res exportable version, which is largely an automatic process.
Your points appear to be (a) many more people are trained in Photoshop than ZBrush, and (b) ZBrush isn't Photoshop. That's true.
It's not nearly as difficult to create 3D content as you're suggesting, though.
Not to go all "appeal to expert" here but I've been 3D modeling since the mid-90s. My company is deep into 3D rendering, scanning and content generation. Creating something in 3D is trivial. Creating something that looks like something with accurate scale, correct UV mapping and polygon normalizing is a highly technical skill which increases in difficulty logistically.
It takes our expert modeling team at the absolute fastest, 1 hour to build a single 3D model of a small 5 foot long sofa, without baked textures or high quality detail. Compare that to lighting and taking a photograph of the same sofa in a studio. Actually this is an interesting comparison because we have worked so heavily on this particular problem.
I know how Z-Brush works. All I can say is that it is not how you create content for VR/AR - it's not high enough precision and it's really only suited for "organic" 3D modeling. Characters? Sure. Environments, engineered objects, interfaces? Absolutely not.
No the point is, "content" as generated today - by your average Joe in the form of 2D images and text, or by retailers/designers in the form of 2D product pictures, is trivial to produce and takes marginal skill. The content of AR is 3D. Your average Joe cant produce it at all, most retailers/designers have no clue how they would start, and those who do know can't find enough 3D modelers to keep up with demand.
I know how Z-Brush works. All I can say is that it is not how you create content for VR/AR - it's not high enough precision and it's really only suited for "organic" 3D modeling. Characters? Sure. Environments, engineered objects, interfaces? Absolutely not.
In my experience, the skill levels can't be compared like that. A 3D artist is a difference in kind from a 2D artist.
It's not nearly as difficult to create 3D content as you're suggesting, though.
you need a lot of structured 2D content for it to be shaded and texture mapped/baked correctly.
Actually, this isn't how ZBrush works. You can paint your model in whatever fashion you want. There's no structure needed, and no baking process. The final step is to convert the high-res painted model into a low-res exportable version, which is largely an automatic process.
Your points appear to be (a) many more people are trained in Photoshop than ZBrush, and (b) ZBrush isn't Photoshop. That's true.