I agree, it's a bit sensationalist, but I think it's accurate to say that it is exponentially easier to apply brute force than expected generally, with no real

I agree, it's a bit sensationalist, but I think it's accurate to say that it is exponentially easier to apply brute force than expected generally, with no real specific relation to AES. And maybe the lack of expectation is really the issue - we just don't look at the changes in compute capability enough, which doesn't change how strong AES is, just our perception of it and how to design security? But yeah, you're right, its not the same thing, and it can be misleading.