Sounds deep @lukestokes
You’re getting into the realms of the singularity, something to ask Sophia the Robot, but i suspect you’d get the better response on the topic from her brother Hans.
In the words of the great French philosopher Descartes ‘ I think therefore I am’
What is the “Self” and what is the “collective” could be up for grabs. Are we really all individuals or are we all just one energy in different forms. Hence why when we call upon positive vibes or call upon the universe we are only calling upon ourselves to act upon our desires.
Morality what an interesting concept and who keeps moving the goal posts on that one.
If we go back to first principles can we say for certainty they are based on solid grounds.
Energy, to me, has no intelligent agency or if it does, it’s on a leek we can’t conprehend right now. Many super organism collectibles exist on this planet and maybe we’re part of something similar, but we sure “feel” like individuals.
So what is it drives AI further, and further if it were not for the energy source. If we look at the laws of energy conservation. Energy can neither be created or destroyed, only transformed into another form, as you say it is most likely beyond our current realm of understanding.
If you were switched of every power source in the world for every Computer, router, server, and let all the power sources run out of power would AI be able to exist without it?
So without some form of energy i suspect it wouldn’t be able to generate any intelligence.
As for your simulation we could all be part of a hive mind, and it may want you to think you are a singular being. Brings back memories of the matrix.