>trying not to insult the intelligence of the human animal in the process

I don't think it is insulting the intelligence. It's damaging the pride.

In Pale Blue Dot, Carl Sagan describes it as a repeating phenomenon in human history. A lot of people want humans to be the special ones, and will fight any suggestion that we are just a natural part of the universe.

A lot of "AI denial" we see is rooted in the same impulse.

If AI is not "actually intelligent", then humans can stay unique and special.

And if it is? If all "intelligence" ever was could be captured by a construct of matrix math and executed by a server rack? Then what is it that humans still have left that would make them stand out?