It's pretty generous to say that the models are thinking, and to denigrate brains as merely squishy. During every period of technological progress, people have used the most complicated technology of the day to try and describe brains, like clockwork or hydraulics. This is no different.
Brains are special. We know some of their principles but we still don't understand how cognition occurs given those principles. They are, of course, physical machines. They must operate on physical principles. But comparing what is basically a reflex response from an unthinking ml model to them? Come on.
> It's pretty generous to say that the models are thinking
Why? Only if you pick an especially narrow definition of "think".
> Brains are special.
Only in that their "algorithm" is better than current ML. As far as we know there's no "soul" or physical process that a computer couldn't theoretically also perform (please don't link that quantum microtubule nonsense).
> to denigrate brains as merely squishy
They are merely squishy computers. Very very complex and big computers, sure. But check out OpenWorm for example. Same thing, just not squishy.
Brains are special. We know some of their principles but we still don't understand how cognition occurs given those principles. They are, of course, physical machines. They must operate on physical principles. But comparing what is basically a reflex response from an unthinking ml model to them? Come on.