Let us not forget history. Generative AI (informally defined as "algorithmic generation of stuff" for the sake of argument) has been around for more than 40 years. For example,
Sure, if we define "Generative AI" as "algorithmic generation of stuff" then it has been around for a long time.
I disagree that this is what people are really referring to when they use the phrase generative AI and basically none of the techniques being used can really be said to be 40 years old.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_art?wprov=sfla1
And of course, other forms of generative AI exist.