Yes. When I feel that is the exact opposite approach they should go for. I guess they feel or acknowledge that it is dishonest then to be mistaken for the creative artist of the piece even though they think of them as so themselves. They still proclaim that they made it with AI.

You may be overthinking it. I think that --in most cases -- the desire to label oneself an "AI" artist is not borne out of any shame or desire to be transparent, it's pure narrative-chasing --> $$$