Has anyone tried aggregating top ML algorithms in each perceptual function (vision, audio, etc) and cognitive function into distinct cortices which are then gov

Has anyone tried aggregating top ML algorithms in each perceptual function (vision, audio, etc) and cognitive function into distinct cortices which are then governed by an AGI meta-algorithm? If that method could yield any success, it wouldn't be any time soon. I imagine we'd need more advanced algorithms for each cortex first (garbage in garbage out) and modern ML is still a young field. However, I'm still curious if that could work. Modeling each neuron seems like a more arduous and perhaps unnecessary task.