ML is data to data. It can conceivably make great achievement if huge data and computing resources can be used, just like our current era.
The question is whether the achievement made by the ML can be helpful to improve our understanding of nature. I think this is very difficult before some solid experiments or mathematical proof are provided. Just like the quote “every rode leads to Rome”, there can be lots of ways on connecting the starting point and the end point. If the way used by ML is quite different from the physical laws we are obeying, then how can the significant "precursors" extracted from the ML but "overlooked" by the physical models (with inevitable biases) be used to improve our understanding and the models? These "precursors" might not work in the models like the way in the ML framework. Then how can we interpret its achievements using the physical language?