This is really the important part of the article:<p>&gt; Their overview stated that machine learning techniques emphasized causality less than traditional economic statistical techniques, or what&#x27;s usually known as econometrics. In other words, machine learning is more about forecasting than about understanding the effects of policy.<p>And it&#x27;s true.  Economists care more about forecasting than &#x27;understanding the effects of policy&#x27; because the money is to be made forecasting while working for a bank or a large corporation.<p>Economics can&#x27;t be codified the way physics can because economics models human behaviour (which is constantly changing), not physical laws than can be tested and retested.