> Bad example. Autofocus makes changes to the light that goes into the camera, not just the data that comes out.

Arguably so do the AI things (i.e. they take multiple shots at different exposure and composit them).

The point is, we have ceeded manual control of photography to automated systems a long time ago. Most people are happy with that choice, as phone cameras serve a cultural function and are not scientific instruments.

A) i think that is not true if focus stacking is in use.

B) the light has been modified based on an algorithm, causing the camera to capture different things. Its not just the light as it would be by itself.

In terms of the output of the camera the effect of this is much more significant than the AI stuff being complained about.

> A camera takes a picture of what it sees.

All images taken with digital cameras have been filtered by a pipeline of advanced algorithms. Nobody ever looks at "what the camera sees". What kind of savage would look at an image before demosaicing the Bayer pattern? (Except from the people who work in demosaicing, of course.)