11. Sophia the Social Robot (2016)
In 2016, Hanson Robotics introduced Sophia, a social humanoid robot designed to emulate human expressions and engage in conversations. Activated on February 14, 2016, Sophia made her public debut at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. She is capable of displaying over 50 facial expressions and has been featured in numerous media outlets worldwide. In October 2017, Sophia was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, becoming the first robot to receive legal personhood in any country. The following month, she was named the United Nations Development Programme’s first Innovation Champion, marking the first time a non-human received a United Nations title (en.wikipedia.org).
