meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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.
![Page 2: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
DenisBalibouse/ReutersSophiahasappearedonTheTonightShowandatnumerousconferencesaroundtheworld,includingtheWorldEconomicForumandthe"AIForGood"GlobalSummit.
"Sophiaisanevolvinggeniusmachine,"thecompanystatesonitswebsite."Overtime,herincreasingintelligenceandremarkablestorywillenchanttheworldandconnectwithpeopleregardlessofage,gender,andculture."DavidHanson,aformerDisneyImagineer,createdtherobotwiththegoalofhelpingtheelderlywhoneedpersonalaidesandthegeneralpublicatmajoreventsorparks.
![Page 3: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
DenisBalibouse/Reuters"OurquestthroughrobotslikeSophiaistobuildthefullhumanexperienceintotherobots,makerobotsthatcanreallyunderstandusandcareaboutus,"HansontoldBusinessInsiderinJanuary.
HewantspeopletointeractwithSophiainthesamewaythey'dtalktoafriend.Eventually,hehopestherobotcanperceivethesocialworldjustasitperceivesthephysicalworld.Itscurrentstateisstillabitroughwhenitcomestosmoothconversation.AcomplexsetofmotorsandgearspowerSophia,enablingarangeoffacialexpressions.
![Page 4: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderSophiahasaflesh-coloredzipperrunningdownthebaseofitsneck,andtheexposedplasticskulldoesn'tquiteselltheillusionofhumanity.
ButthegutsofSophia'smachineryareintriguing.AlongwiththemechanicalsystemsthatgiveSophiatheabilityto"emote,"themachinelearningsoftwarestoresbitsofconversationinitsmemoryandtriestograsptheflowofdiscussiontoproduceliveanswersinreal-time.
"SophiaisHansonRobotics'latestandmostadvancedrobot,"thewebsitestates."Theideaoffoolinghumansisnotnecessarilythegoal,"HansontoldBusinessInsider.
![Page 5: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderUltimately,Hansonwantstomimichumans'capacityforlove,empathy,anger,jealousy,andthesenseofbeingalive.
HisgoalistohelpprovideanswerstothequestionsWhatislife?,Whatisintelligence?,andWhatisconsciousness?Sophia'scapacityfordisplayingemotionisstilllimited.Itcanshowhappiness—sortof.
![Page 6: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderAnditcanraiseitseyebrowsandfrowntoshowsadness.
![Page 7: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderItcanalsobearitshumanoidteethtoshowanger(which,hopefully,isnotdirectedatanyofus).
![Page 8: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsiderHansonhasspentthebulkof2017touringSophiaaroundtheworld.
![Page 9: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
DenisBalibouse/ReutersHismissionistogetpeopleaccustomedtoseeingSophia'sfaceandhavethemgainanappreciationfortheadvancesAIhasmade.
"Shehasalsobecomeamediadarling,"theHansonRoboticswebsiteexplains,"havinggivennumerousinterviewstomultiplemediaoutlets,sanginaconcert,andevengracedthecoverofoneofthetopfashionmagazines."
Soon,HansonwillunveilotherrobotstojoinSophiainahumanoidfamily,andperhapseventuallyasociety.Sophiaistheonlyoneofitskind,however,whichmeansitisn'tforsale.
![Page 10: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
DenisBalibouse/ReutersAmongitsfleetofrobots,theproductHansonRoboticschampionsthemostforconsumeruseistheProfessorEinstenrobot.
The14-inch-tallpersonalassistantwasdesignedtomakeover50facialexpressionsasusersaskabouttheweather,traffic,andbasictrivia.JeanneLim,chiefofmarketingforHansonRobotics,toldBusinessInsiderinJanuarythatthecompanybelieveslifelikerobotsarethefuture.Hansonhimself,however,believesthatfutureismuchmoreimmediate."Theageoflivingandroidsisamongus,"hetoldBusinessInsider.
![Page 11: Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named ... · ask about the weather, traffic, and basic trivia. Jeanne Lim, chief of marketing for Hanson Robotics, told Business Insider](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022042303/5ece96669c8c2105261ffe64/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
GrahamFlanagan/BusinessInsider