Ruthlessly optimizing isn't the best goal, because people "optimize" all the quality out, and lack of quality leads to lack of sales and increased cost. Ford/GM may have "optimized" their line for efficiency, but the increase in defects caused more losses. Companies that practice Lean tend to forget this and focus only on speed and cost, leading to enshittification. TPS focuses more on quality and its effects on lowering cost and increasing sales.

Toyota is also a good example of what not to do. Their lack of earlier research investment in EVs has led to being severely behind the market, in addition to their lack of focus on quality causing poorer sales (their quality used to be one of the only reasons to buy them). KIA basically stole their playbook by creating loads of good-quality cheap hybrids and EVs. Toyota could've had that market if the invested more ahead of time in research.

And that's what's happening with AI. While there are plenty of players now, it's the ones that aren't looking ahead that will be left behind. Nothing scales forever; when you hit the ceiling, you're trapped in a box of your own making.