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Don't worry about us throwing rocks... we're passionate about our boats, but for the most part, we're also harmless.
So what competes with these boats, well that's a tough question. These boats aren't like a BMW which has competitors like Mercedes, Lexus, and maybe Porsche. They really are unique boats, with features that no other competitor has. And when I say features, (going back to the BMW analogy) I don't mean that they have minor differences, like a different fold down rear seat, or a specially calibrated traction control system, these boats have differences that make them fundamentally different to use then most other competitors.
Think of it like comparing a BMW to a Pick Up truck, or a pick up truck to a tractor, or a tractor to a go-cart. They all have four wheels, but it really depends on what you want to do with them to say if those unique features will benefit you.
If you always want to be on the paved roads, then you may consider a BMW, a pick up truck, or a go-cart, but you'll probably find the unique features of the tractor to have less value to you. Same thing if you always want to be off-road, you may find the features of the BMW and the Go-Cart to be completely useless, while the pick up truck, and tractor remain viable options.
Cross shopping an Adventure Island or a Tandem Island is much like cross shopping the BMW, Pick Up truck, Tractor, and Go-Cart. You need to look at what you'll use them for, and then decide which features really matter. That's a good starting point to decide on a competitor.
For my purchase, the competitor's that I had to consider were really limited. I liked kayaking quite a bit, but I wanted a single person sailboat that I'd be able to take my young children out on as children came into my life. I wanted to avoid having a trailer for the boat, I wanted something safe, hard to tip over, and easy to sail. I also wanted a measure of performance that is really difficult to find in small dinghy's.
The AI worked for me because it fit all of the above requirements. I had to make some sacrifices. My old kayak (which I sold to help fund the AI purchase) was much more sports car like. It handled really well in the big waves, and reacted much differently then the AI does in Adventure mode. But at the end of the day, I'm still able to get out and kayak in calm waters, as well as big waves like I always did in the past. The mirage drive has some limitations that the paddle kayak didn't have, but it also offers a number of tremendous advantages.
The performance of the AI, in pure speed terms was considerably faster then some small dinghy's, and the safety was second to none.
If you're looking for a competitor to the Mirage drive, there really isn't any. It's such a unique drive system, and it has a lot of great features. There are, however other kayak type boats that can be pedalled and I'd suggest looking at the "Native" kayaks, and their "Propel" drive system. Essentially a propeller under the boat, powered by pedals like a bicycle. A neat system with advantages and disadvantages compared to the mirage drive. As of now, Native does not offer a sailing version.
If you're comparing trimarans, the "Weta" is a unique trimaran that advertises speed as it's main selling point. As a sailboat it probably outperforms the AI and TI boats, but you lose the functionality of the mirage drive, which for many Hobie owners is a non-starter.
Most people, once they've experienced the mirage drive and all of it's benefits in a sailing boat, will have a tough time going back. There are of course trade-offs. The AI, and TI are not the fastest single person sailboats.
For some people, they cross shop the Hobie Wave and the Tandem Island. Each are able to take additional passengers (especially with the trampolines on the TI) and each can be sailed solo. The Wave and TI are similar priced boats, but again, they each have their pro's and cons.
For some, a boat such as a Laser may compete with a TI, or AI. If you're simply looking to get out and sail, and don't see the benefit of the Mirage drive system, or the trimaran set up, there are people who will appreciate the sailing performance of another boat.
I've known kayakers who underestimate the sailing performance of the AI, and instead of purchasing that, they spend big bucks on a fancy kayak. If you're primarily going to be kayaking, you may want to consider what that money gets you in a performance kayak, and not sail at all.
I hope that helps a little bit, but the biggest thing to figure out, is how will you use the boat. Then once you've decided on the "less important" features of the boat, ask some more questions on this board about those features. Figure out what people use them for and see if those ring true for you.
Personally I don't fish, so all of the fishing rod holders on the AI, mean nothing for me. But getting the gear bucket in the hatch has been very useful for me. I'm sure many fishermen use it as a tackle box, I use it to hold various other items.
It all comes down to how you use the boat.
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