Artificially creating thought is not possible. Maybe it’s possible to link existing brains to computers, grow a brain in a lab(?), anything else will basically be some lowly form of mimicry and a far cry from actual thought. I don’t think we will be able to reproduce what nature does to be fair. Unless somehow we bridge the gap between the digital and biological world, which would be neat although extremely morbid. Somehow getting a mouse brain to solve something, attached to a computer?

This is completely out of my ass. I think that’s the best anyone can give you at this point in time.

A lot of what is being credited to AI is really just data retrieval.

The small portion that is truly new and unique and novel is often the result of trial and error.

This can be useful but it doesn't really qualify as "intelligence" in my opinion.