Philip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov probably tried to warn us about this, but we didn’t listen.
Sophia, the first robot citizen of Saudi Arabia recently responded to questions on her view of family, calling it very important. It’s important to note that Sophia isn’t pre-programmed with responses; she uses machine learning and reads expressions to determine answers. Though she does have a large vocabulary preloaded.
Moreover, the Hanson Robotics developed Sophia conveyed a plan to name her (hypothetical) daughter after herself. Granted, Sophia doesn’t have actual consciousness… yet. But David Hanson expects such a development to be possible in a few years. From her interview with Khaleej Times:
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. I feel this way for robots and humans alike.
Saudi Arabian robots are better than real women, apparently.
Her citizenship in Saudi Arabia does gain a grim humor in a certain light. As it turns out, she technically has more rights than actual women do in the nation. She’s not required to cover up as Saudi women have to by law. Furthermore, she’s allowed to appear in public without a guardian. This, in turn, has spawned a hashtag in the state: #Sophia_calls_for_dropping_guardianship. Joke’s on her, though; she can’t drive, because she doesn’t have limbs. And other things actual women have.
I don’t know who I envy least; the people that have to plausibly explain why a robot has more rights than human women in Saudi Arabia? Or the person that has to explain to a robot that it doesn’t have a vagina.
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