Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named Sophia that once said it would 'destroy humans'

Chris Weller

Oct. 27, 2017, 1:41 PM

Sophiatherobotisthefirstrobotinhistorytobegrantedfullcitizenshipofacountry.GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderSophiatherobotmightnothaveaheartorbrain,butitdoeshaveSaudiArabiancitizenship.AsofOctober25,Sophiaisthefirstrobotinhistorytobeafullcitizenofacountry.

SophiawasdevelopedbyHansonRobotics,ledbyAIdeveloperDavidHanson.Itspokeatthisyear'sFutureInvestmentInitiative,heldintheSaudiArabiancapitalofRiyadh.

Sophiaoncesaiditwould"destroyhumans,"butthistimearoundtherobotspokeaboutitsdesiretolivepeaceablyamonghumans.

Here'swhattherobotisallabout.

SophiawasdesignedinAudreyHepburn'simage,withhighcheekbonesandaslendernose.

DenisBalibouse/ReutersSophiahasappearedonTheTonightShowandatnumerousconferencesaroundtheworld,includingtheWorldEconomicForumandthe"AIForGood"GlobalSummit.

"Sophiaisanevolvinggeniusmachine,"thecompanystatesonitswebsite."Overtime,herincreasingintelligenceandremarkablestorywillenchanttheworldandconnectwithpeopleregardlessofage,gender,andculture."DavidHanson,aformerDisneyImagineer,createdtherobotwiththegoalofhelpingtheelderlywhoneedpersonalaidesandthegeneralpublicatmajoreventsorparks.

DenisBalibouse/Reuters"OurquestthroughrobotslikeSophiaistobuildthefullhumanexperienceintotherobots,makerobotsthatcanreallyunderstandusandcareaboutus,"HansontoldBusinessInsiderinJanuary.

HewantspeopletointeractwithSophiainthesamewaythey'dtalktoafriend.Eventually,hehopestherobotcanperceivethesocialworldjustasitperceivesthephysicalworld.Itscurrentstateisstillabitroughwhenitcomestosmoothconversation.AcomplexsetofmotorsandgearspowerSophia,enablingarangeoffacialexpressions.

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderSophiahasaflesh-coloredzipperrunningdownthebaseofitsneck,andtheexposedplasticskulldoesn'tquiteselltheillusionofhumanity.

ButthegutsofSophia'smachineryareintriguing.AlongwiththemechanicalsystemsthatgiveSophiatheabilityto"emote,"themachinelearningsoftwarestoresbitsofconversationinitsmemoryandtriestograsptheflowofdiscussiontoproduceliveanswersinreal-time.

"SophiaisHansonRobotics'latestandmostadvancedrobot,"thewebsitestates."Theideaoffoolinghumansisnotnecessarilythegoal,"HansontoldBusinessInsider.

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderUltimately,Hansonwantstomimichumans'capacityforlove,empathy,anger,jealousy,andthesenseofbeingalive.

HisgoalistohelpprovideanswerstothequestionsWhatislife?,Whatisintelligence?,andWhatisconsciousness?Sophia'scapacityfordisplayingemotionisstilllimited.Itcanshowhappiness—sortof.

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderAnditcanraiseitseyebrowsandfrowntoshowsadness.

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderItcanalsobearitshumanoidteethtoshowanger(which,hopefully,isnotdirectedatanyofus).

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderHansonhasspentthebulkof2017touringSophiaaroundtheworld.

DenisBalibouse/ReutersHismissionistogetpeopleaccustomedtoseeingSophia'sfaceandhavethemgainanappreciationfortheadvancesAIhasmade.

"Shehasalsobecomeamediadarling,"theHansonRoboticswebsiteexplains,"havinggivennumerousinterviewstomultiplemediaoutlets,sanginaconcert,andevengracedthecoverofoneofthetopfashionmagazines."

Soon,HansonwillunveilotherrobotstojoinSophiainahumanoidfamily,andperhapseventuallyasociety.Sophiaistheonlyoneofitskind,however,whichmeansitisn'tforsale.

DenisBalibouse/ReutersAmongitsfleetofrobots,theproductHansonRoboticschampionsthemostforconsumeruseistheProfessorEinstenrobot.

The14-inch-tallpersonalassistantwasdesignedtomakeover50facialexpressionsasusersaskabouttheweather,traffic,andbasictrivia.JeanneLim,chiefofmarketingforHansonRobotics,toldBusinessInsiderinJanuarythatthecompanybelieveslifelikerobotsarethefuture.Hansonhimself,however,believesthatfutureismuchmoreimmediate."Theageoflivingandroidsisamongus,"hetoldBusinessInsider.

GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsider