Sophia

Sophia is a humanoid robot developed by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics. With realistic facial expressions, she can track faces, make eye contact, and hold scripted conversations. Sophia became a global celebrity — appearing on The Tonight Show, getting Saudi Arabian citizenship, and being named a UN Innovation Champion. She sparked enormous debate in the AI community: critics called her "a chat bot with a face" and accused Hanson of misleading the public about AI capabilities. Supporters argued she raised awareness and inspired interest in robotics. Regardless of the controversy, Sophia demonstrated that a robot's public image is a strategic asset.