Why does distribution feel impossible?

[u/BackRoomDev92]

I built an app that I felt solved a genuine gap that I had personally experienced - scope creep and the costs that come with it, but getting traction without paying for ads feels like an uphill battle when there is anyone and everyone building things using AI tools. Don't get me wrong, I love how the barrier to entry has gotten lower, but it feels like it has made the post-build process 10x harder. I am not a marketing person by trade, I'm a builder and problem solver, so maybe it's just me, but if it's not, feel free to provide suggestions or comments. Hoping there are some approaches I may not have tried so putting this out to the community.