Actually, I mostly agree with you, except I disagree that consciousness is something only biological things posses so that any idea around it being a key part of AI would be an anthropocentrism.
I believe instead consciousness is the method of achieving this self design and self improvement that you have mentioned will be the basis of the technological singularity.
I believe instead consciousness is the method of achieving this self design and self improvement that you have mentioned will be the basis of the technological singularity.