It’s pain if they say it’s pain. Pain isn’t a strictly human thing, animals experience it too. And that is the model to use, making the robot’s body able to signal the brain “stop doing that” to avoid damage IS a pain response on the most basic mechanical level.
“It’s pain if they say it’s pain. “
Silly.
Pain serves as an anology, at most, with which the developers can present their approach to a lay audience.