Different things have different values, which you seem to have realized here: "a human life is objectively worth less to machines" "To machines" is the important part. But unless you're a machine, it would be strange for you to have machine values, so I don't understand why you say that you should empathize with the machines. Unless... are you an LLM?
Anyway, different sorts of things having different values is why so many people are concerned about powerful non-human entities with inhuman motivations (AIs generally, and corporations particularly.) It's also the reason people are afraid of hungry bears (the bear cares more about itself than you.)
Anyway, different sorts of things having different values is why so many people are concerned about powerful non-human entities with inhuman motivations (AIs generally, and corporations particularly.) It's also the reason people are afraid of hungry bears (the bear cares more about itself than you.)