D&D 5E Why (and when) did "Adventure Paths" replace modules?

[delericho]

I did say that and I do think it’s wired into the campaigns. If the PCs know there is an evil cult working to achieve some great evil (which many APs are) and the party have a lead on where to go next...

Most Pathfinder volumes come to a conclusion and then, apart from some few loose ends, require the PCs to wait for an inciting event before they can start on the next volume. The first few pages of the next volume then tends to explicitly suggest how long the DM should wait before introducing that event.

They're already doing what you want them to do.