I would say the idea is right, but the focus is wrong. In order of what will have the most beneficial improvement, and not just for cycling, people can:
- wear correctly-sized shoes
- adjust the bike to fit them properly
- address all other problems as they arise
This 2018 report concluded that:
A large proportion of the population wear incorrectly sized footwear, which is associated with foot pain and foot disorders.
Good shoes are something that will (literally) support you in all your endeavors, whether it's biking to your destination or help you get around once you've dismounted and parked the bike. The author's laser focus on cycling shoes that are rigid and don't store energy is admirable, but the same shoe would be deeply uncomfortable for any amount of walking. A holistic approach to footwear would mean optimizing first-and-foremost for good fit, which is always applicable and is what most people get wrong. And only then consider features or extra pairs of shoes for specific uses, such as cycling.
I would guess that many casual riders are uninterested in hauling bike-specific shoes with them, so the shoes will have to be well-rounded, rather than task-specific. But that brings me to the next thing to optimize.
The venerable Sheldon Brown wrote many articles on how to adjust bike fitment to address pain in various parts of the body. Even if nothing hurts, I would encourage people to have a cursory read, as an ounce of prevention.
To drive my point, the author is correct that a proper cycling shoe improves power delivery and comfort at the feet. But a properly fitted bike improves the entire body's experience on two-wheels overall, without compromising walking performance. And adjusting a bike is basically free.
As usual, I also need to point out that the editor of that publication has chosen to reframe and dramatize the headline.