Using "living" to mean "changing", "improving", "not static" and "beneficial to their own reproduction", I think computers are at least as living as the first r

Using "living" to mean "changing", "improving", "not static" and "beneficial to their own reproduction", I think computers are at least as living as the first reproducing chemical metabolisms. In that case an energy gradient presumably allowed clusters of chemicals to reinforce each other's production, and we know how that turned out ... centralization into fully independent forms (cells) and an explosion of new forms that could colonize and customize environments far beyond their origin. In this case, we have energy gradients vastly easier to tap into via diverse and deep economic gradients between supply and demand in the environment, i.e. us for now. A very friendly place for a new form of life!