Yes it does have a lot to do with creating life. Just image what the dreamed for end result would look like. Take the Turing Test for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test
So what happens if the AI gets good enough that a human couldn't notice the difference between talking to it and talking to a human? It would be a small step to build an organic body around such an AI. It would still be different from a human. Or... would it?
And: Yeah we've still a very far way to go in that part of science. Just never say never.
You didn't read the whole post, did you? Artificial intelligence is by definition a human like mind made by humans. You cannot actually make a life without borrowing it from something that already lives, then it would not be A.I. A well built computer that teaches itself and have the ability to judge is an A.I. by definition. Human can not creat life, period.
Hmm I wasn't replying to you, but the post before yours, but the content is similar.
Yes I did read the entire thread. Not sure why you assume the opposite. Assume that I don't know as much as you do about the subject instead. I read a lot of "by definition" in that post. I agree on the first one, this was also what the thread is about. What I can't really agree with is that AI/Life will necessarily be two different things in the future.
Westside