Right, and I'm saying it can be both.
I'm not disputing that Trico should be unresponsive at the start of the game before you develop that bond with him (her?), that's the whole point of the game and you need it to develop that emotional attachment. That doesn't mean that shoddy AI can't be a reason why Trico doesn't respond because you put a block or a barrel a foot away from the exact spot you needed to make him react properly.
I'm watching
Jim Sterling's video right now and some of it sounds frustrating as hell.
EDIT: Anyway, we should be talking about PS4's real killer app:
Naughty Dog and Ueda ain't got shit on that.