PS Action Using Camera Raw AI Masks - Not Updating AI

It's not "proof" as such, it demonstrates how things were designed to work in ACR. CRF is different.

That wasn't clear about masks on layers, how do you currently get the masks in the layers? The masks are inside the CRF edited image aren't they?

if you like to share your clumsy method

You keep repeating this, and it's false. There's are non non-absolute things in actions, including the select subject option from within PS and many other tools.

OK fair enough. Would you agree that sometimes actions record absolute values and other times they record non-absolute values?

Adobe has a buggy implementation not carry the filter over into the action, and it should carry over as that filter is part of Photoshop.

I don't think that anyone apart from the programmers at Adobe know if it's "buggy" or "not intended" or "not possible" for the expectations set in ACR as a separate plugin to be applicable as a filter within Photoshop. There are the obvious differences and limitations with working with rendered data vs. raw data (white balance, highlight recovery). Then there are other differences as discussed with auto masks.

Actions are not the old way to automate Photoshop. They are the primary and current way that everyone is still using.

By @DSeim

Actions were the original automation. Then scripting came later. Parametric edits and ACR offered a new way to do things, that are very different to adjustment layers and actions.

Using the CRF in an action is not the same thing as using ACR, so there are differences in behaviour, especially when coupled with actions.

Syncing "Auto" settings in ACR applies image specific adjustments.

Here is what happens when one records the auto button in CRF via an action, it captures absolute values (just as absolute masks are recorded):

However, one needs a "helper script" to correctly automate this as expected:

/*
https://community.adobe.com/t5/Photoshop/Is-there-any-jsx-to-execute-the-auto-tone-of-camera-raw/m-p/10167490#M207367
*/

/*
ACR and raw files would be covered by this topic post:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/how-to-record-button-click-on-action/td-p/10858184
*/

autoCRF();

function autoCRF() {
  // Camera Raw Filter - Auto
  var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
  desc1.putBoolean(charIDToTypeID("AuTn"), true); // AuTn = Auto
  executeAction(stringIDToTypeID('Adobe Camera Raw Filter'), desc1, DialogModes.NO);
}

Thank you for clarifying which is being used.

The Camera Raw Filter and the Adobe Camera Raw plugin are not exactly the same thing. I was wondering how you were running actions with ACR plugin, now I can see that you aren't.