Yes, M.L. is always sold on the metaphor and not on the reality -- that's partly because its advocates are really unable to distinguish animal consciousness and cognition from computation.
Machine Learning models are tools for computing specific predictions. They are not thoughts, have no concepts, etc.
The model isnt what it is used for. A model isnt what it describes. The ability of an ML system predict a person's action isn't a reasoning process. A rock rolling down a hill predicts the path of water rolling down a hill. The rock isnt thinking about it.
Describing ML models as if they were cognitive gives people the impression that computers possess the relevant concepts and understanding which is why its seems scary. It's just current through a write to a fancier dial.
Machine Learning models are tools for computing specific predictions. They are not thoughts, have no concepts, etc.
The model isnt what it is used for. A model isnt what it describes. The ability of an ML system predict a person's action isn't a reasoning process. A rock rolling down a hill predicts the path of water rolling down a hill. The rock isnt thinking about it.
Describing ML models as if they were cognitive gives people the impression that computers possess the relevant concepts and understanding which is why its seems scary. It's just current through a write to a fancier dial.