> The executives who never cared about research in the first place?

Don’t think caring is high on the list of things that matter in this context. Progress and commercial incentives are unforgiving

Not playing is just going to relegate people to artisanal work and not sure artisanal research is even a thing.

I get the sentiment but this feels very much like an attempt to stand in the way of a tsunami and thinking you won’t get swept off your feet because of a principled stance