In any case, at the time Lenat starting working on Cyc, we didn't really have the compute required to do NN models at the level where they start exhibiting what most would call "common sense reasoning," so it makes total sense why he started out on that path. RIP.
"Getting from Generative AI to Trustworthy AI: What LLMs might learn from Cyc"
Lenat's last paper (July 31st, with Gary Marcus)
This may disabuse you of two ideas:
1. that NN models (LLMs) exhibit common sense reasoning today
2. that the approach to AI represented by Cyc and the one represented by LLMs are mutually exclusive