Install does convey something more involved than including a file, that's not splitting hairs. It is not uncommon for software to include malware that runs independently of the software you expected, and the headline is clickbait that taps into those concerns. I'm here for the concerns about bloat. "Downloads" would have been the right term to use but it doesn't sound as scary.

> A 4 GiB model has nothing to do with the functionality of a web browser. It is something forced on users without their consent.

This does not happen. The model is not downloaded unless the user intentionally uses the feature that requires it. Then it's downloaded at that point.