I don't see how systematically accurate image classifiers and facial recognition systems built on deep learning is a 'dead end'. Products are products. If deep learning has led to actual profits in actual companies, it's not a dead end. As to whether this leads to AGI is a completely different question.

The point is that the profits may not be as grand as the current level of hype may indicate

Edit: additionally it could be a dead end because the hype tends to narrow the directions we explore with ML. If everyone is obsessing about DL, we could be infuriatingly ignoring other research directions right under our noses.

What do you see exactly when you look closely and how do you know it is dead end?