We just got lucky. Emacs Lisp, unlike most other Lisps that are data-oriented is particularly text-oriented. If instead of LLMs we've gotten LGMs (Large Graphics Models), Emacs wouldn't have time to catch up and keep the pace with other graphics-oriented IGEs (that would've replaced IDEs)

Luckily (for us), Emacs is the king of text-processing and text manipulation.

They had ELIZA and then the Emacs doctor, the rest is just scale.