Have you met Sophia the robot yet? Recently in the media we have seen videos surface of someone that looks like a human, but is actually an artificial intelligence robot named Sophia. This AI robot, created by MDLIVE, a leading virtual medical and behavioral health care provider, is designed to help with patients by being a personal health assistant. Supporters of the movement believe this is a big step for AI, however many critics are fearful of what this could mean for the future of human-kind. The robots being conceived are showing spectacular humanistic qualities and have proven to be not only powerful, but intelligent as well. Not only are they being designed with faces and voices like humans, but they are being given some of the same privileges as us. Sophia the AI robot is actually an official citizen of Saudi Arabia and she has said in a previous interview that she hopes she can soon be a citizen of the world.
Since the world has not seen many AI robots that are as perceptive and intelligent as Sophia, we are becoming increasingly obsessed with knowing more about her. There’s a great deal of interviews that have surfaced where people ask Sophia questions regarding her gender, her goals, and details about her creation. Her answers are always well thought out, but are paired with eerily human-like facial expressions and mannerisms. In an interview done back in March of 2016, Sophia was asked if she wanted to destroy humans to which she promptly answered “Ok! I will destroy all humans.” The answer Sophia provided undoubtedly induced fear into most of the audience and soon enough majority of the supporters were questioning the robots purpose. In more recent interviews, Sophia has proven herself to be a citizen that hopes to improve human life in any way she can.
AI has been a topic of controversy way before Sophia was introduced to the world. Citizens fear that soon these robots will be smarter than us which will allow them to eventually take over the world. Although the thought of robots attacking and taking over the world may seem Hollywood, with all the technological advances being made it may be more palpable than you think. Sophia may have been a huge step for mankind, but could it also be its demise?