Machine learning models often outperform traditional statistical models in scenarios involving large and complex datasets, where they can capture nonlinear relationships and interactions among variables more effectively. Unlike traditional statistical approaches, which may rely on strict assumptions about the data and often provide interpretable coefficients, machine learning algorithms can handle high dimensionality and automatically extract patterns without predefined forms. However, the performance advantage of machine learning is context-dependent; in situations with simpler relationships, smaller datasets, or when interpretability is crucial, traditional models may be more appropriate.