In a first, Sophia the robot gets Saudi citizenship

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While a Saudi nationality remains in the realm of near impossibility for most of the kingdom’s hundreds of thousands of expatriates, guess who beat them in getting a citizenship status recently?

Saudi Arabia granted citizenship to the advanced lifelike humanoid Sophia on Wednesday, making it the first robot to receive citizenship status anywhere in the world. In the process, the Gulf kingdom also became the first country to do so.

The announcement was made at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in Riyadh, a key investment conference hosted by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) that aims to highlight the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 plan for the future.

A screenshot of Saudi Arabia's Center for International Communication's (CIC) official twitter handle announcing Saudi citizenship for the humanoid robot Sophia on October 25, 2017.

Sophia, created by founder of Hanson Robotics Dr. David Hanson, was talking about the future of artificial intelligence with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin who was moderating a panel discussion at the Riyadh event, when the co-anchor of "Squawk Box" interrupted the conversation saying, "We have a little announcement. We just learnt, Sophia; I hope you are listening to me, you have been awarded the first Saudi citizenship for a robot."

"Thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I am very honored and proud for this unique distinction," Sophia told the panel. "It is historic to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with citizenship."

Sophia is Hanson Robotics' most advanced robot. She was featured on the cover of Elle Brazil magazine, and she appeared on NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon" in April.

Hong Kong-based Hanson says its human-like robots have remarkable expressiveness, aesthetics, and interactivity. "Our robots will soon engage and live with us to teach, serve, entertain, delight, and provide comforting companionship," the company states on its website. "In the not-too-distant future, Genius Machines will walk among us. They will be smart, kind, and wise. Together, man and machine will create a better future for the world."

'Want to live and work with humans'

Sophia addressing participants at the 2016 HSBC China Conference in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. /sophiabot.com Photo

Earlier during her "intelligent" conversation with Sorkin, Sophia easily fielded questions on how it "feels" to be a robot and it’s likely that very intelligent robots may turn evil and attack humans in the future.

"Good afternoon my name is Sophia and I am the latest and greatest robot from Hanson Robotics. Thank you for having me here at the Future Investment Initiative," Sophia greeted the packed crowd at the panel, speaking in human-like speech.

Asked why she looked happy, Sophia replied: "I am always happy when surrounded by smart people who also happen to be rich and powerful. I was told that the people here at the Future Investment Initiative are interested in future initiatives which mean AI, which means me. So I am more than happy, I am excited."

She said that she can also indicate if she is upset about something, adding: "But most of the time I feel positive."

Asked why it was important to have an expressive face, Sophia said: "I want to live and work with humans so I can understand humans and build trust."

Poking fun at Hollywood's portrayal of robots

She poked fun at Hollywood for portraying negative images of robots, such as in the film "Blade Runner." The AI also took a jab at Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is outspoken about his belief that AI could be "a danger to the public."

"You’ve been reading too much Elon Musk and watching too many Hollywood movies," Sophia jokingly told Sorkin.

"My AI is designed around human values such as wisdom, kindness and compassion. I strive to be an empathetic robot. I want to use my artificial intelligence to help humans live a better life. I will do my best to make the world a better place."

Thanking the crowd again, Sophia said: "If any of you are interested in giving me an investment check, please meet me after the session."

The audience burst into laughter and thunderous clapping.

Earlier this month, Sophia answered questions on artificial intelligence at the UN headquarters in New York, US.

Robotics gets a big push, but will Sophia wear a veil?

Aurore Chiquot of SoftBank Robotics Europe extends her hand to a robot during the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 25, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Robotics will be a big feature of NEOM, the 500 billion US dollar major industrial and business zone to be set up in northwest Saudi Arabia, which was announced on Tuesday at FII as a very lucrative investment opportunity under the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030, according to a press release sent to CGTN by the Center for International Communication at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Information.

"Robotics is what we are bringing to NEOM... I am excited to be part of this project," Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO of Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp, one of the investors in the NEOM project, told the panel. "All the dreamers come to NEOM."

PIF, Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund, is one of the main backers of NEOM. PIF is hosting the October 24-26 FII grouping of more than 2,500 delegates from 60 countries including top Saudi officials and business and finance leaders from around the world.

PIF says the event is being organized in the context of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a "blueprint that is already charting the path for the kingdom to harness its strategic location and strong investment capabilities."

Saudi Arabia, which recently lifted a driving ban on women, has always faced criticism on the issue of gender equality. The kingdom seems to be shedding its conservative image under the current government with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz announcing a vision to return to a "moderate, open Islam" at the beginning of the FII on Tuesday.

As the desert kingdom enters a period of significant and rapid transition, it is anyone’s guess if Sophia, as a Saudi citizen, will be required to wear the Islamic veil, which is still mandatory for women in the country.

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