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.