Was Saudi Arabia wrong to give citizenship to a robot? (I’d say yes, too)

“It seems foolish and misguided to give a robot an official government status that creates any semblance of equality to an actual human. Machines aren’t people; even if you believe in the singularity we’re not there yet. Sophia is no more human than an old shoe.

The robot won’t be subject to the religious rule of a theocratic government: Sophia is a robot that has no gender. It won’t have to wear a burqa or attend services. In some ways the robot has more rights than many other citizen of Saudi Arabia.

“It is historical to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with citizenship.” Please welcome the newest Saudi: Sophia. #FII2017 pic.twitter.com/bsv5LmKwlf”

Opinion: Saudi Arabia was wrong to give citizenship to a robot
https://thenextweb.com/artificial-intelligence/2017/10/31/opinion-saudi-arabia-was-wrong-to-give-citizenship-to-a-robot/
via Instapaper

Author: Gerd Leonhard

In the words of American poet John Berryman, “the possibility that has been overlooked is the future”. Most of us are far too busy coping with present challenges to explore the future in any depth – and when we do our own cravings and fears often run away with us, resulting in utopias or dystopias that are not very helpful in terms of planning and decisions. Today’s professionals, leaders and their organisations need a dedicated, passionate long-term understanding of the future if they are to successfully navigate the exponential waves of change. For countless individuals and organizations that intelligence is called Gerd Leonhard. View all posts by Gerd Leonhard