The anti-virus _never_ was anything but a high-pass filter (any illusion to the contrary is propagated by AV stakeholders): who needs to exploit machine-executable code when you can get the users to do it for you? Just promise them dancing hampsters, and voila.
There is no silver bullet, especially not when people are involved.
Well, they've certainly been trying to make it more than an HPF. Which is understandable- I bet there are big bucks to be made if one of the vendors starts reliably blocking even sophisticated exploits.
Anti-virus protection is a mediocre "solution", or a "decent component in a larger security system" at best. It's marketed as being a silver bullet; "all you need to stay 100% safe." Understandable--it makes it a much easier sell to people who aren't tech-savvy. It also makes it completely understandable that the AV industry is almost universally reviled among people who are.
There is no silver bullet, especially not when people are involved.