Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T17:27:43.887Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Sophia Robot

An Emergent Ethnography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2021

Abstract

Since her creation in 2016, Sophia has become the world’s most recognized humanoid social robot. Gendered female by creator David Hanson, she is a harbinger of a tomorrow world that is here. She performs at events around the planet as a messenger, celebrity, and ambassador representing the human-technological future. Sophia is a symbol, and humans are witnesses to an origin story as much hers as it is our own.

Type
Article
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press for Tisch School of the Arts/NYU

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References

Arbarétier, Baudouin. 2019. “Sophia: The Overhyped Toaster.” Medium, 10 January. Accessed 2 October 2020. becominghuman.ai/sophia-the-overhyped-toaster-d2e5203c8539.Google Scholar
Asimov, Isaac. 1950. “Runaround.” In Robot, I. New York: Doubleday.Google Scholar
Bhatia, Richa. 2018. “Do Humanoid Robots Like Sophia Really Represent A Huge Leap In AI? Facebook’s Yann LeCun Disagrees.” Analytics India, 22 January. Accessed 15 August 2020. analyticsindiamag.com/humanoid-robots-like-sophia-really-represent-huge-leap-ai-facebooks-yann-lecun-disagrees/.Google Scholar
Brown, Audrey. 2018a. Lucy interaction script for Hanson Robotics. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July.Google Scholar
Brown, Audrey. 2018b. Personal correspondence with author, 30 October.Google Scholar
Center for International Communication (CIC). 2017. “Saudi Arabia Announces $500 Billion Mega City Project.” Center for International Communication, 25 October. Accessed 14 September 2020. cic.org.sa/2017/10/saudi-arabia-announces-500-billion-mega-city-project/.Google Scholar
Dick, Philip K. (1981) 2011. VALIS. New York: Mariner Books. Accessed 9 September 2020. blindhypnosis.com/valis-pdf-philip-k.-dick.html.Google Scholar
Fancher, Hampton, and Peoples, David. 1981. Blade Runner (screenplay). Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures. Accessed 22 March 2021. www.dailyscript.com/scripts/blade-runner_shooting.html.Google Scholar
Farrelly, Elizabeth. 2017. “The dangers behind smiling citizen robot Sophia.” Sydney Morning Herald, 10 November. Accessed 10 September 2020. www.smh.com.au/opinion/the-dangers-behind-smiling-citizen-robot-sophia-20171109-gzi67u.html.Google Scholar
Gerba, Hank. 2017. “Conversation with Sophia Robot.” Fintech World Banking Seminar presented by Ernst and Young. Hanson Robotics internal document. London, UK, 10 January.Google Scholar
Goertzel, Ben. 2018. “Sophia’s AI — June 2018 Brief Update.” Goertzel.org, 10 June. Accessed 9 September 2020. goertzel.org/sophias-ai-some-comments/.Google Scholar
Haboor, Velan. 2020. Facebook comment on post, “In case you missed it! Here’s my interview with neuroscientist @heather_berlin on consciousness: https://youtu.be/Gmr4i6ZcSdo,” 16 April. Accessed 10 September 2020. www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=875975889544205&id=288406891634444.Google Scholar
Hanson, David. 2007. “Humanizing Interfaces: An Integrative Analysis of the Aesthetics of Humanlike Robots.” PhD diss., University of Texas at Dallas.Google Scholar
Hanson, David. 2016. Personal meeting with author. Watson IBM, New York, NY, 16 March.Google Scholar
Hanson, David. 2018a. Online meeting with author, 7 March.Google Scholar
Hanson, David. 2018b. Online meeting with author, 3 March.Google Scholar
Hanson, David. 2018c. Personal meeting with author, Hong Kong, 15 April.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2017a. “Interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sophia the robot.” Olerom Forum One Conference. Kiev, Ukraine, 13 October.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2017b. “UN General Assembly Second Committee and the Economic and Social Council joint meeting.” New York, NY, 13 October.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2017c. Selections from the Sophia chatbot.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2018a. “PricewaterhouseCoopers international economic summit.” Beijing, China, 19 May.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2018b. “Women in NASDAQ conference.” New York, NY, 16 October.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2018c. “UNLEASH — A Global Innovation Lab for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” London, UK, 26 September.Google Scholar
Hanson Robotics Writing Team (HRWT). 2018d. Uploaded additions to chatbot. Hong Kong, China, January–March.Google Scholar
Himalayan Times. 2018. “World’s most advanced robot Sophia to address conference in Nepal.” 20 March. Accessed 15 August 2020. thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/worlds-most-advanced-robot-sophia-to-address-conference-in-nepal.Google Scholar
Jacobs, Susan. 2019. “An Interview with Sophia the Robot.” Learning Solutions, 23 October. Accessed 7 September 2020. learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/an-interview-with-sophia-the-robot.Google Scholar
Jaynes, Julian. (1976) 1977. The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.Google Scholar
Joel. 2018. “Just How Close Is the Rapture?” christianevidence.net, 11 December. Accessed 18 September 2020. www.christianevidence.net/2018/12/just-how-close-is-rapture.html.Google Scholar
Kurzweil, Ray. 2001. “The Law of Accelerating Returns.” 7 March. Accessed 19 September 2020. www.kurzweilai.net/the-law-of-accelerating-returns.Google Scholar
Kurzweil, Ray. 2005. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. New York: Viking.Google Scholar
Lim, Jeanne. 2018. Online meeting with author, 7 March.Google Scholar
Love, Tessa. 2017. “Why Androids Like Sophia Dress Conservatively.” Racked, 6 December. Accessed 9 September 2020. www.racked.com/2017/12/6/16717004/robot-fashion-android-sophia-erica-jiajia.Google Scholar
MacDorman, Karl F. and Ishiguro, Hiroshi. 2006. “The uncanny advantage of using androids in cognitive and social science research.” Interaction Studies 7, 3:297337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mori, Masahiro. (1970) 2012. “The Uncanny Valley: The Original Essay by Masahiro Mori.” Trans. Karl F. MacDorman and Norri Kageki. IEEE Spectrum, 12 June 2012. Accessed 23 May 2020. spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley.Google Scholar
Nasir, Sarwat. 2017. “Video: Sophia the robot wants to start a family.” Khaleej Times, 23 November. Accessed 9 September 2020. www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai//video-sophia-the-robot-wants-to-start-a-family-.Google Scholar
Pog, Aya. 2018. “Create a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities raised by Disruptive Technology, including Artificial Intelligence.” Script. Hanson Robotics internal document. NATO NAC/MC Away Day Conference, New York, NY, 18 April.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas. 2006. “Jules robot introductory statement.” Hanson Robotics internal document. Dallas, TX, 21 August.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas. 2018a. “RISD Commencement Script.” Hanson Robotics internal document. Providence, RI, 2 May.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas. 2018b. “What do I feel today?” Chatscript. Hanson Robotics internal document. Hong Kong, China, 27 March.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas. 2018c. “Sophia responds to Yann LeCun.” CogX Conference. Hanson Robotics internal document. London, UK, 12 June.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas. 2019. “Huan Nuoyuan: Exorcism and Transformation in Miao Ritual Drama.” TDR 63, 2 (T242):78101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riccio, Thomas, with Hanson, David. 2007a. “Zeno robot hashbot.” Hanson Robotics internal document. Dallas, TX, 28 November.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas, with Hanson, David. 2007b. “Zeno Publicity Pitch Packet.” Hanson Robotics internal document. Dallas, TX, 17 July.Google Scholar
Riccio, Thomas, with Hanson, David. 2008. “Bina robot hashbot.” Hanson Robotics internal document. Dallas, TX, 14 October.Google Scholar
Tardif, Antoine. 2020. “Is Sophia Robot using AI or is it a Marketing Stunt?” Unite AI, 8 August. Accessed 8 September 2020. www.unite.ai/is-hansons-robotics-sophia-robot-using-ai-or-is-it-a-marketing-stunt/.Google Scholar
Weaver, John Frank. 2017. “What Exactly Does It Mean to Give a Robot Citizenship?” Slate, 6 November. Accessed 10 September 2020. slate.com/technology/2017/11/what-rights-does-a-robot-get-with-citizenship.html.Google Scholar
Whisson, Stu. 2018. “Hanson Robotics Sophia Is FAKE!” Bitsbytesbobs, 22 January. Accessed 10 September 2020. www.bitsbytesbobs.com/hanson-robotics-sophia-fake/.Google Scholar

TDReadings

Cuan, Catie. 2021. “Dances with Robots: Choreographing, Correcting, and Performing with Moving Machines.” TDR 65, 1 (T249):124–43. https://doi.org/10.1017/S105420432000012X.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleber, Pia, and Trojanowska, Tamara. 2019. “Performing the Digital and AI: In Conversation with Antje Budde David Rokeby.” TDR 63, 4 (T244):99112. https://doi.org/10.1162/dram_a_00877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pizzo, Antonio, Lombardo, Vincenzo, and Damiano, Rossana. 2019. “Algorithms and Interoperability between Drama and Artificial Intelligence.” TDR 63, 4 (T244):1432. https://doi.org/10.1162/dram_a_00872.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sussman, Mark. 1999. “Performing the Intelligent Machine: Deception and Enchantment in the Life of the Automaton Chess Player.” TDR 43, 3 (T163):8196. https://doi.org/10.1162/105420499760347342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Doorn, Mark, van Loenen, Evert, and de Vries, Arjen. 2007. “Performing in Ambient Narratives: Supporting Everyday Life Performances with Technology.” TDR 51, 4 (T196):6879. https://doi.org/10.1162/dram.2007.51.4.68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar