Sophia, the world’s first artificially intelligent robot from Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics.

Dr. David Hanson, Sophia’s creator, is the founder of Hanson Robotics and has been called a modern-day renaissance man.  He is reputed worldwide for creating robots that look and act amazingly like humans.

Sophia and Dr. David Hanson participated at the inauguration of a four-day Digital World Exposition on Wednesday at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

David Hanson talked to Nice Noor, a journalist at NTV Online, prior to the beginning of the event.

Here is the excerpt of the interview:

NTV Online: Is this your first visit to Bangladesh? How do you feel?

David Hanson: Oh, yes. I’m really feeling good.

NTV Online: Please tell us about Sophia.

David Hanson: Sophia is a social humanoid robot designed to respond to questions and learn behaviours like any human. So we needed an intelligent machine and we built her. We want her to get along with us. Right now, she is for us like a baby. And she wants to be raised in the world. She’ll love and teach others. She would realise the dreams of people and she will work for a better world in future.

NTV Online: Sophia said she wants a baby girl.  Why does she want a baby?  What’s your opinion?

David Hanson:  Look, she is just three years old. She will learn things like a child. I once asked her, ‘do you need a baby?’ and she said, ‘yes’. Actually, she will know things and get along as she grows up. Her ideas could be changed over the time.  

NTV Online: Many people say Sophia looks like Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. Do you design her like Audrey?

David Hanson:  Well, a little bit. Sophia looks more like my wife. I’ve sculpted Sophia looking after my wife.

What’s the name of your wife? Does she look like Audrey Hepburn?

David Hanson: Her name is Amanda Hanson. Yes, she looks a little bit like Audrey Hepburn. I also designed Sophia analysing different cultures as well. She would be the child of the world.

NTV Online: Where is your wife now?  Was she happy to see Sophia?

David Hanson: My wife is now in Hong Kong. She could not make it this time here. Next time we will come together in Bangladesh. And yes, my wife is very much happy because Sophia looks like her. And I thought for us also.

NTV Online: What’s your future plan?

David Hanson: Our plan is to build machines who will learn about life and today’s world system’s biology and through artificial intelligence we can create machines that have properties of life like never before. And, these could really help people, help medicine....learn how to teach people and so we have the intention to see Sophia grow up and may be become a doctor.  

NTV Online: Thank you so much.

David Hanson:  Thank you Nice Noor.