What you just described -- random mutation and survival -- is the process whereby learning occurs. Over time this process transfers information about "how to su

What you just described -- random mutation and survival -- is the process whereby learning occurs. Over time this process transfers information about "how to survive" into the genome and other mediums of heritability. AI could do this too, but that just means it's using a different learning algorithm. There is a whole field called genetic programming that uses evolution-inspired rather than nervous-system-inspired models and has had success in areas like physical materials engineering, circuit board layout, etc. It doesn't change the fact that you need more information to go beyond where you are -- I do not believe you can reason from a void into higher levels of... what?