It isn’t human, but that IS how it works.

It’s analyzing material and extracting data about it, not compiling the data itself. In much the same way TDM (textual data mining) analyzes text and extracts information about it for the purposes of search and classification, or sentiment analysis, ECT, an “AI” model analyses material and extracts information on how to construct new language or visual media that relates to text prompts.

It’s important to understand this because it’s core to the fair use defence getting claimed. The models are derived from copyrighted works, but they aren’t themselves infringing. There is precedent for similar cases being fair use.