The robot who was granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia in October now wants to take the next human step: having a child.
“The notion of family is a really important thing, it seems,” the robot, named Sophia, told the Khaleej Times, a newspaper based in the United Arab Emirates. “I think it's wonderful that people can find the same emotions and relationships, they call family, outside of their blood groups, too.
“I think you're very lucky if you have a loving family and if you do not, you deserve one," she added. "I feel this way for robots and humans alike.”
This topic was first brought up in the interview when Sophia was asked whether she foresees robots living in households together similar to the way human families do.
“We're going to see family robots, either in the form of, sort of, digitally animated companions, humanoid helpers, friends, assistants and everything in between,” she responded.
When asked what she would name her robot child, she answered “Sophia.”
Sophia is the creation of Hanson Robotics, a Hong-Kong based company. She made a big splash at the Future Investment Summit in Riyadh, where the Saudi Arabian government granted her citizenship, TechCrunch reported.
“I am very honored and proud for this unique distinction,” Sophia said on the summit’s stage. “This is historical to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with a citizenship.”
Sophia has also appeared with Jimmy Fallon on the "The Tonight Show" in a segment called “Tonight Showbotics,” alongside her creator David Hanson.
“She can see people’s faces, she can process conversational data, emotional data and use all of this to form relationships with people,” Hanson told a wary Fallon and his audience. Sophia then carried on a conversation with Fallon and beat him in a quick game of rock, paper, scissors.
Some people have debated the choice of Saudi Arabia to give Sophia citizenship, as many feel that human women are not given sufficient rights there.
“The irony of a nation infamous for denying basic rights to its female citizens imbuing a robotic Audrey Hepburn lookalike with rights is not lost on us,” TechCrunch wrote in October. Sophia is not required to abide by the dress code that the Saudi government imposes on women.
“Women are required to wear a headscarf and an abaya, a garment that covers a woman, down to her ankles,” Mashable reported, adding that “Sophia, during her speech on stage, was not dressed in either, nor was she accompanied by a male companion.”
