Newer AI is entirely limited by the algorithmic and logical frameworks assigned to it by others than itself. Machine learning is not "true" AI. It's called AI because it's slick marketing.

Animals can solve puzzles. Solving puzzles, however, doesn't mean you can reason in the same way humans can. For instance, humans can ask why they are solving the puzzle. That's an expression of cogitative ability that animals don't have.

This whole discussion is just about people unsure whether something else is smarter than thdm or not.

If you ask a human why they are doing something they will often make up a reason and not even realize they're doing so. Especially when emotions are involved.

That's true, but rather than "make-up" they are assigning a reason to their actions because they did them voluntarily. That is a rational thing to do, that gives a why for their action through their introspection, or sheer need for justification. If it is not voluntary, they'll often say that or it is immediately apparent, or they are ill.

And we are fully capable of investigating that reason, that why, to find out whether it is reasonable or whether a better why can be provided. Animals cannot assign a reason, nor can we "investigate an animal's reason", because that's nonsense. Animals don't give why's.