I really think it must be the latter.

I know there is pushback and there absolutely should be.

That said, I don't think I'll wholly give up this line of thinking until someone is able to demonstrate that quantum physics has no role in evolution. I think it is the only even potentially viable explanation I've seen so far for some of evolution's gaps, like the Cambrian explosion. I also haven't seen an explanation for a mechanism that would allow lactose intolerant bacteria, for just one of several great specific examples, to evolve the gene needed for lactose digestion when in the presence of only lactose as a food source. This experiment has been repeated many times and the same thing happens every time. Around 3% of the bacteria seem to spontaneously evolve the genes needed to digest lactose. No other theory, in my humble opinion, has shown promise in explaining it. It shouldn't happen, and yet it does. Why?

Anyway, there are leaps between these basics I'm trying to describe and the bigger picture thinking I've arrived at concerning quantum physics and AI and, as I said above, I am probably wrong. I do have a gut feeling here that I'm missing something important and, hopefully, eventually, I will be able to learn what it is. I am simply excited to see what the truth ends up being ever since I was first inspired to think about this stuff by JohnJoe McFadden's book Quantum Evolution. It took me years to finish it even one time and I've read some dissenting opinions on his work, but I don't feel anyone has sufficiently cast serious doubt on it either. I can't shake the feeling that the author is onto something profound.

If consciousness is an emergent property of quantum physical characteristics in the constituent parts of a neural network, then I might be right. If it's not, then I'm wrong. We'll see. 🤞😁

I've (very privately) thought for quite awhile now that quantum computing might be the missing requisite for true artificial intelligence. There is a theory that one of the most basic functions of an individual cell is the ability to sustain quantum decoherence inside the boundaries of the cell walls. If this is correct, which I think it probably is although there is still plenty of room for doubt, then it stands to reason that a quantum computer would be a more correct equivalent stand-in for the kind of biological hardware that intelligence requires.

Looking forward to the day when I can read about the work done by the people who tried it. I'm probably wrong, but I just really want to know.