Or - and I know this isn't a new idea by any means - perhaps AGI is the circle. Perhaps the only life that persists long enough and is robust enough to spread amongst the stars is what we would consider AI or machine intelligence, and flesh and blood beings like ourselves are only considered a necessary precursor to the real thing.

Yes, but it's the AGI they want to talk to. Not it's monkey brained creators

Based on current estimated trajectory, Jupiter is getting AGI before us though.

... and they're delivering our membership card