What is more plausible, viruses in a host brain or a viral colony becoming conscious?

In my story I have a strain of virus capable of stealing parts of or changing its hosts DNA, so it could copy the abilities in nature for its next host of choice by taking the genes which control the creation of cells for organs or processes such as an electric eels ability to generate electric fields or photosynthesis etc.

At some point I need the virus to become sentient and conscious, either it becomes conscious after infecting the neurons of its choice host or it is some outside conscious colony of viruses (maybe in host bacteria if that helps) which is in control and can communicate with the viruses in the host controlling the host from a far.

The viruses would work their way up to humans from more basic just running on instincts creatures to slightly smarter then finally to humans so hopefully the depth of our thought process won't be too much to handle.

As my knowledge of science is limited it would be a great help for any known processes that could theoretically allow viruses first achieving consciousness from living in the mind and bodies of creatures taking control of them or by taking their DNA to some sort of colony where all the information is stored in a hive-like mass of viruses whose shared information gains consciousness?

posted over 5 years ago

Aizen-sama‭

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