[ploden]

Why would AGI choose to be embodied? We talk about creating a superior intelligence and having it drive our cars and clean our homes. The scenario in Dan Simmons' Hyperion seems much more plausible: we invent AGI and it disappears into the cloud and largely ignores us.

[fusionadvocate]

It doesn't need to be permanent. If humans could escape from their embodiment temporarily they would certainly do so. Being permanently bounded to a physical interface is definitely a disadvantage.

[jwmcq]

Looking at other examples in sci-fi, perhaps to stop my body from pressing its off-switch?

[ploden]

With distributed backups in place, AIs will be much less worried about self-preservation than we are.