Yep. There's so much ignorance around this topic it's kind of insane. I have no idea why so many people have such a vested interest in absolute pitch being something magical instead of a learned skill.

I've spent a lot of time with musical people, and it's very clear that it functions similarly to a foreign language: it's a learned skill that is easiest to pick up in childhood. Like distinguishing /r/ and /l/, if you start young you can do it, if you start late it may always be difficult.

Why we would assume that it functions differently is beyond me.

I made the exact same language comparison in another reply. Learning a foreign language after the age of 9 means you most certainly never will sound like a native speaker. I think perfect pitch is the same. But if you have something that is functionality perfect pitch, why is it not perfect pitch?

> Why we would assume that it functions differently is beyond me.

The cognitive bias to put some people on a pedestal and worship them for being extraordinary. The perceived rareness and specialness of absolute pitch.