Do not focus solely on this patch of Earth. The universe is infinitely vast; planets suitable for human survival might be scarce, but they certainly exist!
Without the awakening of machine consciousness, how can humanity explore the universe and conquer the stars? A spaceship equipped with machine consciousness can wander the universe for thousands of years, searching for planets suitable for carbon-based life.
Do humans have this capability? And do you realize how easy it is to design a spaceship carrying only machine consciousness? No need to consider life support systems, no need for gravity, and not even survival supplies.
The saved space only needs to be packed with replaceable consumables and sufficient fuel to stretch humanity's reach to places that predecessors dared not imagine.
