> If AIs are all they’re cracked up to be by their most fervent believers, this seems like a possible model for where humans might end up: not just subsisting, but thriving, on byproducts produced and discarded in microscopic quantities as part of the routine operations of infinitely smarter and more powerful AIs.

i think this kind of future is closer to 500 years out than 50 years. the eye mites are self sufficient. ai's right now rely on immense amounts of human effort to keep them "alive" and they wont be "self sufficient" in energy and hardware until we not just allow it, but basically work very hard to make it happen.