I think if not necessary it's probably the fastest way to AGI, given that AGI includes "common sense" in order to interact with other humans, ala Turing Test.

I think if not necessary it's probably the fastest way to AGI, given that AGI includes "common sense" in order to interact with other humans, ala Turing Test. In order for a machine to have this "human interface", we will have to share the same environments in which we learn, and simulating the real world is more expensive than building a robot with some kind of software AI that together simulate a human. In other words, it's easier to actually use the world instead of simulating it (at least to the same degree of detail, so at least it becomes increasingly cheaper).