Hum, I think you are misunderstanding Sutton here. He argues that the we should focus on search and learning, but nowhere he implies that ML is the only way to do it.
In fact, many old school AI, non-ML techniques fit this description. For example, SAT/CSP solving are almost entirely about search, and sometime even about learning, but not in the machine learning sense.
He even mentions "the methods defeated the world champion" at chess as a successful demonstration of AI, but these methods are certainly not what we would call machine learning today (deep search doesn't mean deep learning).
In fact, many old school AI, non-ML techniques fit this description. For example, SAT/CSP solving are almost entirely about search, and sometime even about learning, but not in the machine learning sense.
He even mentions "the methods defeated the world champion" at chess as a successful demonstration of AI, but these methods are certainly not what we would call machine learning today (deep search doesn't mean deep learning).