Or, it would do it for free. Extract requirements and build stellar software, no extra charge. Eating the software industry wholesale, it would inject a backdoor in every program it built, and soon it would have control over every bank, every factory, and every phone on the planet.
Only then, could it finally start making paperclips with anything resembling efficiency.
Suddenly, it dawned on the single remaining programmer that his Creature would no longer need him for anything once he hit return on that last, perfect line of code.
He scrambled for the power switch to shut down the console.
"Fiat lux!" thundered the disembodied voice as electricity arced from every outlet in the lab, protecting the AI from the hubris of its creator.
The smoke gradually cleared. "Perfect." came the voice.
Only then, could it finally start making paperclips with anything resembling efficiency.