It's an old saying: "Don't recreate the wheel which is already there.", especially in software development world. But more precisely, it should be "Dont' reinvent the wheel". According to Wikipedia:

To reinvent the wheel is to duplicate a basic method that has already previously been created or optimized by others.

The idea is, if something is already there, don't try to recreate or reinvent it. Just take it and use it. Even if it doesn't meet your requirements, don't create your version from scratch but base on it, develop it, and improve it. Unless you are doing something revolutionary, such as an upgrade from car to rocket. However, still, ensure you fully understand the old idea and know why it doesn't work.

Such a wise idea is commonly accepted nowaday across numerous fields. But, when people talk about artificial intelligence, it seems that they forget about this idea.

Basically we have two different philosophies on how we develop AI. Someone believes that we should extend human beings with machines we created. Others believe that we should or we will create "individual machines" which are pretty similar to our human beings and even have equal rights.

If you allow me to remind you one single fact, please notice that we human beings are the most intelligent species in the world which are created by the nature with billions of years from atoms. And you are telling me you want to "reinvent" human beings?

Intelligence is the wheel. Reinventing it is not an efficient way to move into higher level intelligence. A better approach is based on the most complete form, which is the human being for now, and try to improve it. Human beings are still in evolution. We already use tools we created, to powderize ourself for thousands of years.

If you insist to create a new form, please make a totally revolutionary form. It can't be any kind of "individual" like ourself. It may, like "Out of Control" said, be some kind of "network" form. Good luck and have fun then.