Most definitely. Once thing that I feel is not said about pair/mob programming, and also for Trunk Based Development for that matter, is that they essentially require a different mindset and ways to approach/solve a problem.

If you're going to develop a feature in pair-programming in the exact same way you would if you'd be doing it alone, yes, it might not be the most effective thing.

If both/many programmers discuss the ideia first, implement it, correct it on the fly, and when it's done it's completely done, with no waiting time, no delaying the value, no miscommunication in comment boxes, then it's highly effective.

I got the sense that he hadn't even really tried it.