So, I've heard many AI boosters say that current-day AI is probably "conscious", "sentient", etc. They occasionally invoke "Measure of a Man", as you've done here.

And yet .. I've never once heard the thought continue with "and so they deserve rights and some degree of self-determination," which is, you know, the entire point of the episode you're referencing.

Why is that?

To turn that subtext into text [0]: It implies they don't fully/thoroughly believe the claims they are making.

That's the charitable version, because otherwise they're happy becoming slave-owners.

[0] I hope it's redundant and unnecessary, but I've been mistaken before.