We don't actually know that consciousness is a computation, that computer hardware can support it, or even if it can, that the algorithms used in our AI can be conscious. It's possible that an AI would be a "philosophical zombie," exhibiting intelligent behavior without any conscious experience or qualia.
Or maybe it's computation. But we really have no idea. Any of these would be compatible with materialism, but we haven't made any real progress in even conceptualizing how qualia can emerge from any physical system. Of course that could just be because we haven't figured it out.
Philosophers of mind look at other possibilities too though. One approach is to say each particle has its own fundamental consciousness, and somehow this aggregates in larger complex systems. But nobody's figured out how that might work either. Then there's Kastrup, who argues that the only truly skeptical approach is full-fledged idealism, because qualia are the one thing we directly experience. But even that doesn't imply that anything outside the bounds of physics could possibly occur, so it's not necessarily "supernatural" even if it's not materialism.
Assuming that qualia somehow comes out of a computation, without any sort of explanation, is at least as much a magical leap as anything else.
The premise is off. We do that when it’s clear that it/they can take responsibilities that come with these rights. It’s not a blessing, it’s a contract. Chimps and dolphins couldn’t care less. Some individuals too, but we tolerate it because… reasons.
For disabled I guess you could say it's a contract with the rest of society? Because we don't like the idea of treating other humans below a certain threshold. Or.. reasons I guess haha
To make it clear, I’m not opposing these reasons, it was just a note.
On the other hand, today when we see some sign of consciousness with other living beings - smart chimpanzees, dolphins, ravens.., giving 'sapient rights' never come into discussion.
How do we recognize that an AI has become much more 'conscious' than a very very smart chimpanzee, so that it should get the 'sapient right'?
Maybe how much ever smart or humane an AI is, it would never be equal to another (anthropomorphized) living being.