UI style and response tone aren’t flavors?

now youre arguing openAI has a distinctly better product not just that they are hoping for high switching costs

No, not at all.

I am arguing that “distinctly better” isn’t the most important thing in consumer products. Habits, familiarity, and individual taste at far far more important.

People just build affinity to products. The vast majority of people buy the same brand toothpaste they grew up with. “Better” isn’t even a consideration.