One dark path that could eventually get us to "conscious" AI is the Elon Musk Neuralink approach of merging our minds with the machines. Depending on how far we take it, we could either become supermen who can move shit with our minds, or The Borg. One day we'll be sending our thoughts to the machine, then the next surprised to find it sending thoughts back to us. We might even start bioengineering new lifeforms that are naturally conducive to integrating with computational machinery. Or machines with biological nervous systems.

It's all a mockery of creation, but might lead to the species being replaced with something arguably better and less smelly.