That does NOT mean that natural selection operates via a predictive process. [...]

It most certainly does - if we are talking about natural selection in evolution and nature.

Examples of failure to predict do not prove evolution does not predict - just that it does not predict perfectly.

The process of natural selection is "Trial and error" which is quite literally analogous to Poppers theory of falsification.

Heh. Not even science works via Popper's theory of falsification.

it is not at all clear the intelligent agent operates primarily using "induction" either

A straw man AFAICT - nobody said "primarily" - and yes, organisms' belief that the sun will come up tomorrow shows that they are performing induction.