On the occasion of the "Future Investment Initiative" economic forum, Saudi Arabia announced that the anthropomorphic humanoid robot Sophia has received Saudi citizenship. A first!
Cn Wednesday, October 25, Saudi Arabia was the first country in the world to offer this anthropomorphic humanoid robot Saudi citizenship. The announcement was made on the occasion of the Future Investment Initiative, a forum on the economic diversification of the Saudi kingdom, organized in Riyadh by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia's main sovereign wealth fund responsible for developing the kingdom's ambitious plan for the future, Vision 2030.
"We have some news for you. We have just learned, Sophia, I hope you are listening carefully, that you are the first robot to receive Saudi citizenship, said Andrew Ross Sorkin, moderator of the roundtable discussion on robotics and artificial intelligence with Sophia and co-host of CNBC's "Squawk Box".
"I wish to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I am very honoured and particularly proud to receive this exceptional distinction, Sophia told the audience present. "It's historic to be the first robot in the world to be granted citizenship."
During this event, Sophia skillfully answered questions about robots. Asked about the evil futuristic robots depicted in movies such as Blade Runner 2049, Sophia said that humans have nothing to fear... "You've read too much Elon Musk and seen too many Hollywood movies. " replied Sophia with humour to Andrew Sorkin.
The particularity of this humanoid robot is that it can reproduce more than 60 facial expressions and is capable of interacting, as we have just described, with the people who talk to it. Coupled with algorithms, its devices allow the female android to see, follow and recognize the faces of the humans talking to her. Designed by the American company Hanson Robotics, its founder, Dr. Hanson, believes that Sophia and her fellow human beings will one day be able to become an integral part of our lives and help us in our daily lives. "We design these robots to serve in medical care, therapy, education and customer service applications."said the founder.
Robotics will be one of the key elements of NEOM, the $500 billion industrial and economic zone to be established in northwest Saudi Arabia. The project, announced Tuesday at the Future Investment Initiative forum as part of the kingdom's ambitious plan for the future, Vision 2030, is a particularly lucrative investment opportunity.
Source: AETOSWire
Photo The Sophia Robot, an anthropomorphic humanoid robot, during its intervention on October 25 at the round table on robotics and artificial intelligence at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum in Riyadh, shortly after receiving Saudi citizenship, a world first. Photo taken by the Centre for International Communication, Ministry of Culture and Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
