The technical definition of how something works is often irrelevant in the eyes of the law. What matters is the output, and its effects.

The output of a search engine is nothing like the output of generative AI.

Most ML are certainly compression systems, as you imply. But reproduction and redistribution of copyright material is quite different than generating a service that allows someone to find said material. The question about caching is a different one, but I doubt it falls under the same intent, as Google is incentivized to cache content to better facilitate the search __and redirection__ service, not to facilitate distribution.