Remember about 15 years ago philosophers—particularly philosophers of science and biology—have been hired or funded by institutions like the Discovery Institute to develop and promote Intelligent Design (ID) arguments.
In his book The Design Revolution , William A. Dembski will even use the criteria developed by Karl Popper to cast doubt on Darwinism. Which would probably not be to the taste of the great epistemologist.
Other philosophers, very much alive and very happy with this renewed interest in metaphysics, “offered” their services against large remuneration. This was one of the few times when the reading of philosophy was so generously funded. Because the funds flowed. According to Above-topsecret, a forum for discussion and research on beliefs: "Funding for the Discovery Institute (Center for Science and Culture) and intelligent design campaigns go through the Hudson Institute which redistributes what given to it by major companies working in biotechnology, genetic engineering, agricultural research, pharmacies and others: Monsanto, DuPont, Dow-Elanco, Sandoz.
Their sudden enthusiasm for philosophy may be better understood from reading the Centre's 1988 document, The Intelligent Design Wedge Strategy : "The strategy of intelligent design reframes creationism, redirects the evolution of strategic: neutralizing Christian scholars who assert that believing in God does not preclude acceptance of evolutionary science; maintaining and consolidating support from the religious right; create the illusion of a scientific basis in order to circumvent tax laws that prohibit the use of public funds to finance religious activities; and, above all, to confuse the minds of those who believe in environmental science and seek to understand the effects of industrial activity on the life of the planet and the biosphere. ». Keep reading
You are going to say: it is different for AI . "The quest is genuine" etc... Indeed there is a need. But it is not a crave for knowledge. It is a crave for a more a performing product to be used by the man who gives gives seminars of philosophy about the Antichrist all over the world.