They should have used the Google excuse for the middle step. Construct an algorithm that tells you what you want, based on the data that you're not supposed to

They should have used the Google excuse for the middle step. Construct an algorithm that tells you what you want, based on the data that you're not supposed to be using, and then throw your hands up when anybody asks and say "Nobody really knows how ML models work." Or before machine learning was an option: management consultants.