The thinking in this article is shockingly lazy.
Saying that if you take a particle away from a conscious structure it ceases to be conscious is like saying if I take a particle away from a chicken it ceases to be a chicken.
It might alter the degree of consciousness but surely consciousness lies on a continuum and the point at which we transition from conscious to unconscious is decided by the humans considering the issue. Just like the distinction between a chicken and an egg.