I think you are missing the main thrust of the book. He is not trying to convince you that em-based AI is the likely future. He chose the less examined possibility as a starting point, but the main part of the book is to enumerate the predictions that flow from that premise.
This is interesting and worth examining even if the premise is wrong. Sometimes examining a familiar topic in unfamiliar terrain yields new insights.
This is interesting and worth examining even if the premise is wrong. Sometimes examining a familiar topic in unfamiliar terrain yields new insights.