But I believe it's certain to eventually happen, absent the end of civilization before that.

And I will live 1000 years, provided I don't die first.

(As opposed to gradual progress, of course. I could make a case with your analogy facing an unexpected distinction also, as in what happens if you got overrun by a Friendly intelligence explosion, and persons don't prove to be a valuable pattern, but death doesn't adequately describe the transition either, as value doesn't get lost.)