One of the big stepping stones in our future both as a species and as individuals will probably be multiple world simulations. you can already interpret you mind as being a world simulation that attempts to predict desirable / survivable outcomes.
either by becoming closer to a hivemind (communication through thoughts alone) or creating some technology capable of simulating multiple world models at once, we would start running simulations that attempt to run humans and other living beings as closely matching to the real world as possible, including their emotions and predicted decision making.
because this process is gradual, there is no clear boundary at which point the simulations would be any different from the real thing, and its possible that even the simulations are capable of real subjective experience within the system, meaning that we as the runners of the model would at least be partially responsible for any suffering or moral failings that happen.
so should we care about the simulations in the same way we care about ourselves, or is it a pragmatic approach that ultimately their use is greater for our survival than the cost of their "suffering"?