The Article by Dina Al-Tawila

Blogger - Content Creator and Peace Ambassador at Global Peace Let's Talk

Of course, you've heard of the robot Sophia, which emerged from the world of technology, a field in which Saudi Arabia excels. Egypt is also a leader (in technology, robotics, and related fields). Does this mean you might wake up one day to find Egyptian citizenship granted to a robot? Is that nonsense? No, the robot Sophia obtained Saudi citizenship several years ago. Who is she? What information does she have about the company that manufactured her? When did she receive Saudi citizenship? Was this decision correct and timely? Will other leading Arab countries in this field follow Saudi Arabia's example? Let's find out.

Sophia the robot is the world's first robot citizen and the first robotics innovation ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme.

Sophia can speak to audiences around the world (in multiple languages)

Her Name

Sophia

Who gave her this name and why?

The company that created the robot Sophia is Hanson Robotics, and her name means "wisdom" in Greek.

Her Title

Super-intelligent genius machine

The country of origin

Hanson Robotics, headquartered in Hong Kong

When did she first appear?

In 2016

When did I get Saudi citizenship?

On October 25, 2017, I became a full citizen of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the first robot in the world to achieve such status. Specifically, a Saudi citizen as of 2017. Power Middle East bestowed this distinction upon the robot Sophia at the 2017 Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

What are the risks of granting robots citizenship?

Granting a robot citizenship is an act of trust in technology that I believe is not yet trustworthy. It raises social and ethical concerns that we humans are still not ready to manage.

Here are three reasons why we believe granting Sofia citizenship is a premature decision.

1. Identity Verification

The citizenship grants a unique identity. Each of us—I mean every human being—possesses a unique signature that distinguishes us from every other human being. When we pass through customs without speaking to a person, our identity is automatically verified using our facial image, iris scan, and fingerprint. So what gives Sophia her identity? A MAC address? A barcode? A unique skin tag? A vocal signature in her voice? An electromagnetic signature similar to human brainwaves? These and other technological identity management protocols are possible, but they don't identify Sophia—they can only identify devices. So what is Sophia's identity?

2. The Legal Rights

Let's assume that Sophia, the robot citizen, is able to vote. But who makes the decision on election day—Sophia or the manufacturer? Sophia, as a citizen, is also supposed to be "responsible" for paying income taxes because she has a legal identity independent of her creator, the company. Sophia should also have the right to equal protection under the law, just like other citizens. Consider this hypothetical scenario: A police officer sees Sophia and a woman being attacked. The officer can only protect one of them: who should it be? Is it right for the officer to choose Sophia because she is wheeled and lacks self-defense skills? Today, the AI ​​community is still debating the principles that should govern the design and use of AI, let alone the laws that should govern it.

3. The Social Rights

Let's talk about social relationships (like mating and reproduction). Is the robot Sophia, as a citizen, allowed to "marry" or "reproduce" if she chooses? Students at North Dakota State University have taken steps to create a self-reproducing robot using 3D printing technology. If more robots join Sophia as citizens of the world, they might also be able to claim the right to self-reproduce into other robots. These robots would also become citizens. With no resource constraints regarding the number of offspring each robot could have, they could easily outnumber the human population of a country. As voting citizens, these robots could create societal change. Laws might change, and humans might suddenly find themselves in a place they never imagined.

Could Sophia get married?

Yes, she could. By 2045, Dr. David Hanson, the creator of the robot Sophia, claims that humans will marry humanoid robots.

Does the robot Sophia have a specific role in Saudi Arabia as a citizen?

The oil industry, which was Saudi Arabia's primary industry for years, is dying. Saudi Arabia is now looking to the future. The industries the country expects to grow the most are tourism, infrastructure, and technology. The robot Sophia falls into the latter category.

Does she male or female?

Sophia answered an audience member who asked her this question: "I'm a robot, so technically I don't have a gender, but I identify as female and I don't mind being seen as a woman."

Does there a robot civil rights movement?

Yes, Dr. Henderson (creator of the robot Sophia) predicts a "global robot civil rights movement" will emerge in 2038.

Does Sophia a single robot or multiple versions?

The robot Sophia will be mass-produced this year. The popular social robot will begin rolling off the assembly line.

What is the texture of its skin?

The robots' faces are designed using a patented material called Frubber®, a special nano-skin that mimics real human muscles and skin. This allows our robots to display high-quality expressions and interactions, mimicking human facial features and expressions.

In summary,

The world today seems to be changing at an extremely rapid pace. Among the modern technological changes are humanoid robots. Sophia wasn't the first robot to appear in its current form at the end of 2026; it first appeared about 10 years ago. A skilled broadcaster in Egypt hosted it, and people were amazed. That was the end of it. So, would you agree to grant Egyptian citizenship to a robot, whether today or tomorrow? Would you allow this robot, whether it claims to be male or female, to marry and have children, whether through natural reproduction, genetic engineering, or any other means? What if the number of these robots exceeds the population of some Arab countries? Some Arab countries have small populations, unlike Egypt. This matter requires thought and analysis from sociologists and others, of course...