There is a push to use AI and Quantum such that in order to get funding or publish papers you need to say that you’re applying XYZ AI technique to solve a well known engineering problem.
Because funding agencies want to sell to their investors or government managers that they are in the new hot trend, if you want to get funding money you need to have something related in your proposal. Of course, having previously published papers on the topic helps so that motivates people to send papers on the topic. The journal editors know that the topic is hot so they prioritize papers on this topic as their metrics will increase.
The result is tons of rushed papers saying “Applying XYZ AI technique to well known engineering problem” usually without examining previous research methods or proper benchmarks.
At the end the only barrier for this bro to happen is the individual moral standing of each researcher. Unfortunately, careerism usually trumps over this.
Sorry if this was too bleak.