This is sorta semantic. What does "deeper understanding" mean? ML models are compression algorithms. But so is newtonian mechanics, which is essentially a compressed description of state space that we know falls apart at the extremes (black holes, quantum, etc). These are different in scale but not in kind

It is absolutely not semantic.

A deeper understanding is acomplete enough understanding of the relevant quantitative theories (e.g. classical mechanics) and the ability to to apply them to a system (real or imagined) to the point where it can rigorously derive future states of the system given initial conditions quantitatively within the margins of error of any quantitative experimental results. This predictive ability is the defining core of scientific theories.

Looking at a thrown ball and running to where you feel that it might land is different.