A driver on a slippery road doesn't know exactly how the car will respond to the steering wheel, and learns on the go, leaving room for error. A smart control algorithm behaves in a similar way.
You're standing in the shower: you turn the tap, and the water is either freezing or scalding. The pipes have a mind of their own — the pressure jumps unpredictably. The new controller learns on the go: it doesn't know the plumbing layout, but within minutes it adapts and gently guides the temperature to comfort, without breaching safety limits.