Tech

This Robot Was Granted Citizenship in Saudi Arabia [VIDEO]

Youtube screenshot/CNBC

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Grace Carr Reporter
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Saudi Arabia awarded a robot citizenship on Wednesday in an historic and futuristic first for the world.

The robot named Sophia spoke Wednesday at the Future Investment Institute panel in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia.

“Sophia if you could, please wake up and say hello to everybody,” said CNBC journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, the panel moderator. “Good afternoon. My name is Sophia and I am the latest and greatest robot from Hansen Robotics,” the robot said smiling.

“I want to live and work with humans … and build trust with people,” Sophia said.

“Can robots be self-aware, conscious, and know they’re robots?” Sorkin asked her. Sophia responded by saying, “Well let me ask you this: How do you know you are human?”

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Sophia addressed the concept of the “uncanny valley” — that if robots become too realistic they become creepy. “Get over it,” she said, adding she thinks people like interacting with her sometimes more than regular humans.

Sophia wants to make the world a better place and will use her artificial intelligence to help humans build a better life. The CNBC YouTube video of her speech has gotten over 50,000 views.

The Foundation for Responsible Robotics recently published a report titled “Our Sexual Future With Robots,” aimed at understanding all of the possible kinds and uses of sex robots, as well as what effects they could have in the the next five to 10 years. (Related: Sex Robots Are Here And Could Change Society Forever).

China also released a video of a human-like robot in 2016, but the project was not a successful because the robot stumbled over most questions and repeated phrases in a nonsensical manner.

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