This is an interesting thought. I really liked Ex Machina. Simple plot & setting. clear demonstration of how smart enough AI can’t be contained.
One definition of consciousness is a being that knows it can be killed(and therefore knows what it's doing when it hurts/kills). So the irony is that the humans in Ex are unconscious.
Personally though, I like a story with flawed characters who learn and grow. Ex Machina is amazing and haunting but ultimately it's just an allegory like Animal Farm or Ayn Rand.
I would expect AI that is much smarter than everyone else to not be as flawed or grow as much as people. & I like stories that paint an ideal, something to strive for (eg Ayn Rand).
an ideal even at the expense of characters "growing". Think its more interesting to watch the environment/world change around these types of characters/bend to their point of view.
So like- the users fall in love with the tech because it gives us something we want; the creators of tech are aware of the dangers but they're too busy playing Gad to take precautions