A problem is that we can't measure how efficient a computing architecture really is, we can only compare them, and not to a hypothetical machine yet to be devis

A problem is that we can't measure how efficient a computing architecture really is, we can only compare them, and not to a hypothetical machine yet to be devised. When AWS can run their datacenter operations 20x more efficiently, which sounds "reasonable to me", they obviously will. Are you criticizing their customers? Or their customers' customers, the ones who like autocomplete? Literally the computer engineers, by whose work these applications have been enabled? I think this is why you were perceived as calling for central planning. Ironically because you took aim at every level but the investors. Growth is aggressive because of the huge investment in the sector currently. Literally because investors want a return. For better or worse there is nobody in the chain who interprets "worthwhile?" in the same sense, and the applications are not essentially relevant to the people in command.