[user-on1]

AI is never a being.

It is just a more sophisticated machine or s/w.

If we think in that angle even a telescope is a superior eye as it can see longer than a human. We never consider it as a superior eye which some use at times.

A nature created being which exists would be more relevant to this question than a man made stuff.

[LeoSolaris]

All naturally evolved species, including humans, are extremely complex machines. There isn't anything supernatural involved. That means that a general AI, with the capacity to learn and interact with the world, would easily be a thinking being. It might not be smarter than a border collie, but it is still a thinking being.

The difference between a simple machine, even a computer controlled one working off of a program, and one driven by a general AI is that a human did not have to be involved in the task at all. General AI, like the current purpose built AI, will be able to learn from first principals. That means they will be able to select and perform their own tasks once they are mature enough, just like us.

It is important to note that a real general AI has not yet been created. The technology is getting ever closer, though. It is only a matter of time before there is a break-through moment.