Yes, _but_ the problem of generating laser light efficiently has and is being solved for elsewhere. Which is why the NIF didn't focus on, or update their lasers. This is a major problem for semiconductor lithography for example, and receives literally tens of billions in investment every year and one which has lasers that are already 20x more efficient than the ones used by the NIF.

The real question in the experiments here at NIF was about whether inertial confinement fusion would work. This is very promising progress.

Also NIF spends a good portion of its time on weapons research, not fusion power so it's only been a recent focus.