Yep. Does it ever get around to answering the question implicit in the title: what is it that he is going to do "different" to the rest?
Seems more like he's talking to and following up with Altman, "Y Combinator conference" and the rest. Is that "bucking the trend", taking your own "path", really?
I assume it's to know which directions have shown the most recent potential, to catch up on the techniques and literature so you can talk/think intelligently on the matter. But I see your more general point, he has to be careful not to get caught up I the groupthink he is (understandably?) critical of.
The area of AI research isn't some outlier of super geniuses that don't exist anywhere else. Carmack has often worked around some of the best talent on the planet and he has always stood out.
Seems more like he's talking to and following up with Altman, "Y Combinator conference" and the rest. Is that "bucking the trend", taking your own "path", really?