In addition, an AI - or Artilect as they will one day become - can store
literally billions of pieces of data to instantly utilize on site, just as Deep
Blue could go over billions of chess moves during his games against
Kasparov, and that was in 1997.

I am not saying it made Deep Blue smarter or more aware, but the AI did have
an advantage over the human in that regard. And you know that computers
are only getting smaller and more capable, which includes being an integral
part of our future space probe missions.

If someday an AI does become truly aware, say during a deep space mission,
I wonder what it will do? See Greg Bear's SF novel Queen of Angels for one
possible answer.