(Speculation is that the growth to 'sentient adulthood' (after the first denizens multiply) is as iffy as right-here contemporary problems.)

How do you accelerate from some basic sentient inroads towards (adult-level for that species?) Can we improve on the n-billions years postulate
--from scratch/microorganisms--> to a level capable of launching asexual-reproducing robots for exploration?
Or, let's go down quite a few orders-of-magnitude--you'd think that would be simpler, no?

How do you get.. already well-developed creatures, most often engaged in trying to emulate kittens-at-play -vs- doing any chores, (especially assigned-ones?)
like, oh say: cleaning the litter-box; then preparing for imminent days: calculated to become too-hot to be outside. (While you still can be outside.)
and also too--before your common foods have also wilted ... and a few thousand other things that aren't what you wished-for.