Of course they are an advantage, all else being equal.

Of course, all else is not equal and you may have budgetary constraints.

But good CF frames are lighter and stiffer and therefore a little faster at the margins.

And just because super strong racer on a steel beater beats mediocre racer on a carbon bike does not mean that the carbon frame "makes no difference."

I have heard the silly argument that the pros "only ride carbon" because the bike companies want to sell those bikes. B-S. Bike companies make their money by selling heavy steel and aluminum hybrids and cruisers and mountain bikes to the 98% of cyclists who do not race.

They want to win races (to improve their brand image across their entire product line) and the best frames now are made of CF.

That does not mean that your first priority should be to buy a CF frame. You should get a coach, better wheels, etc etc...

But don't listen to people who say CF is no better.