The period-index conjecture is false for motivic reasons

For any integer $d \geq 3$ and any algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $0$ and transcendence degree at least $d-3$, or of characteristic $p>2$ and transcendence degree at least $d-2$, we construct a $d$-dimensional variety over $k$ with a Brauer class of period $2$ and index $2^d$, viol