#Sophia becomes the 1st robot to receive #Saudi citizenship. After receiving her citizenship, she took a shot @elonmusk & #Hollywood movies pic.twitter.com/vciNjRmlhB
— Technology Updates® (@EFFORTZ) October 26, 2017
When it was announced on October 25th that Sophia, a lifelike robot, was granted citizenship as a way to put Saudi Arabia on the A.I. map, many hot takes appeared and Twitter was abuzz. There were the considerations of what citizenship meant in terms of Sophia: should she now granted certain “human” rights previously held from her as a robot? Would it be a crime to shut her off? Force her to work all day?
But more pressingly, many pundits pointed out that Sophia, as a “female” robot, was enjoying considerably more freedom than the women of her new country. Sophia was, after all, on stage at a tech conference presenting by herself, not forced to conform to Saudi Arabia’s strict dress code for its female citizens.
Amongst all of these questions that would give Isaac Asimov a migraine, there was a further problem that I noticed quickly. See if you can spot it:
Yup! Sophia is already deemed “hot” because … well, she’s shaped like a woman and modeled after women, so her appearance is immediately a matter of concern and part of her initial descriptives—as though it wasn’t enough that she’s a freakin’ robot with a range of 62 facial expressions and an impressive ability to speak and reason. Sophia’s been in the news for a while, and this kind of language about her isn’t new:
(Someone labeling CNBC’s videos really has a thing for robots. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
Sophia is a cheeky flirt, according to the Sun. She’s only been alive for a few years and it’s already like she’s been a woman for decades! Anyway, before I blow a gasket and reveal myself to be an android, here are some of the best commentary I’ve seen about Sophia’s citizenship situation:
This Sophia robot just said robots deserve more rights than humans on @BreakfastNews and everyone just laughed?! #singularity
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) October 23, 2017
Sophia also once glitched at SXSW and said that she would destroy humans! Everything is fine. Perfectly fine.
I wasn’t the only one to notice Sophia’s sexualization:
this robot sophia’s interview and this is in the title?? pic.twitter.com/lOjRKIu0Hb
— Spoophie (@SophieLawrence4) October 25, 2017
This:
Sophia is first robot in the world to get Saudi Citizenship. So now a Saudi woman robot might have more Rights than all the Saudi Women.
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) October 27, 2017
I’m wondering if robot Sophia can leave Saudi Arabia without her guardian consent ! Since she’s officially Saudi
— Moudi Aljohani (@Moudhi90) October 26, 2017
And this:
This robot has gotten Saudi citizenship before kafala workers who have been living in the country their entire lives https://t.co/RRCMH2rtZ8
— Murtaza Hussain (@MazMHussain) October 25, 2017
Bustle has a great article about what Sophia’s citizenship, and the prospect of future robot citizens, will mean to Saudi Arabia’s women’s rights, while the AV Club looks at some of the wider robot rights questions. All else aside, I have to say that the part of me that has loved science fiction and robots for as long as I can remember is absolutely thrilled to see Sophia in action.
The world’s first “Robot Citizen” Sophia takes a ride in a self driving car… The future is here pic.twitter.com/36klnbPVrC
— ifurhigh (@ifurhigh) October 25, 2017
Or maybe we’re all gonna die.
Our @andrewrsorkin, interviewing “Sophia” the robot, of Hanson Robotics:@CNBC @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/Dzw8jS5YSB
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) October 25, 2017
(image: screengrab)
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