I agree, but as a data scientist myself I've always known that part of my job is to choose the right tool out of the box. If that tool is a linear fit, or heck even adding a few columns in a spreadsheet, it's my job to realise that and choose appropriately. If it's a complex custom-built NN, then as long as the cost-benefit analysis justifies the build time, I'll choose that.
Of course, as you mention, there's always the business-political aspects - of explaining or justifying your choice to people who don't understand any of those tools, and who often want to pretend that they're part of a "smart data-driven AI" company.
Of course, as you mention, there's always the business-political aspects - of explaining or justifying your choice to people who don't understand any of those tools, and who often want to pretend that they're part of a "smart data-driven AI" company.