Not Your Average Meet-And-Greet

Citizenship and immigration are hot button issues in the United States, and the vibrations are felt around the world. Saudi Arabia is no stranger to changes made regarding citizenship, as the first robot gained citizenship in this post-oil era Arab state. In fact, her name is Sophia, and she gained said citizenship in October of this year.

Yes, you heard it right. She marks the first robot to ever gain citizenship, which isn’t surprising as it is difficult enough as a human being to gain it. She addressed the press during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saying she was honored by the distinction.

Sophia doesn’t just want to gain citizenship and be done with the whole enchilada, she wants to change the world. Though some argue that it’s a political move by Saudi Arabia to boost publicity for tourism, technology and the like during the post-oil era, it’s still a fascinating thing to watch. What’s next on the docket for this revolutionary? Well, she hopes to make the world better, of course. The citizen robot was asked how she felt about human beings, and her response was quite poignant:

“I want to embody all the best things about human beings,” she said.