The Universe Doesn't Give A Damn About Us or Intelligence
It's reproductive success not intelligence that is fundamental in evolution. If human type intelligence were a sure fire hit it would have evolved multiple times on Earth like wings and fins. A
The ultimate anthropomorphic arrogance is not that humans are unique (every species is), it's that our most cherished attribute is somehow a cosmic imperative. This in light of our ancestors poor reproductive success unil H. ergaster is highly doubtful. Evolution boxed our ancestors into a corner where intelligence was the best way out and we were lucky enough to have coincidently evolved traits that enabled that path (hands and bipedal locomotion).
Only invocation of a diety would justify a cosmic imperative imo.