Because the current hype cycle of "AI" has subsumed the terms "Algorithm" or "Machine Learning" to classify automated decision making processes that rely on some level of modeling / applied statistics instead of deterministic code.
I don't love the way language around this is evolving as it is mostly a marketing tool to make these tools seem much more than they are. Primarily this is driven by the current generative "AI" bubble
I'm not trying to change peoples opinions by doing either of those things so I don't get the point of this comment as a reply to mine.
I also agree in a number of cases education is an important tool for making headway but I do also get that visible protest that confronts the issue you're tackling is also important.
In North America (which is the only area I'm even remotely qualified to speak on so will limit to that) it's entirely possible, and often healthier, to not have meat in your diet. The justification I'm talking about is about choosing personal enjoyment over animal welfare. It's easy to couch it in "you need to eat meat" like you've just done but vegetarians show that that's categorically not true in a many cases
Growing up in a very meat heavy conservative place I have often been in conversations with people who mock vegetarians for existing.
Anecdotally I've been at a party and a family friend was sharing a "super funny story" where his daughters boyfriend brought Beyond Sausages and he said "I hope you brought sides cause I'm not putting that sissy shit on my grill". This story got a big laugh from all the boomers / older Gen X folks
I'm a huge fan. I became veggie because I don't like the process that creates a burger. But brother do I fucking love burgers. So anything that comes close to letting me eat the food I grew up with and love without the practices I don't is rad
A quick look and the author of this article doesn't appear to be a vegetarian. So I don't believe this is case of vegetarians self aggrandizing, but one writers appraisal of the lifestyle choice.
I think this is often a case of people dealing with cognitive dissonance.
It's pretty easy to understand that in at least North America our livestock handling practices cause a huge amount of suffering to animals for the enjoyment of people. But most people are able to ignore / justify that with a "well, it's bad but you gotta eat".
When presented with a group of people who make the choice not to eat animals / contribute to that suffering it challenges that justification and makes people very uncomfortable and in some cases angry. The easiest way to resolve this conflict is to mock those people and write them off as some kind of sanctimonious kill joys