The humanoid robot Sophia had the “honor” of delivering a commencement speech at a New York university. In an event that generated mixed reviews, the popular robot addressed more than 2,000 attendees, including graduates, faculty and family members, at the ceremony hosted by D’Youville University at Buffalo.
Humanoid robot Sophia generated debate at D’Youville University
This event, announced on the university’s Facebook page, was presented as an example of “embracing technology,” symbolizing the “intersection between technology and education.” The decision to include Sophia as a speaker was controversial, as a group of students voiced their disagreement through an online petition titled “Replace D’Youville’s AI 2024 graduation speaker: Petition to preserve human connection.”which began on April 24 and gathered more than 2,500 signatures.
For their part, university officials defended their choice by arguing that Sophia was a perfect fit with the year’s theme, AI.
“One of the crucial roles of higher education is to be a hotbed of innovation and to prepare students for future opportunities and challenges,” commented Lorrie Clemo, president of D’Youville College, in a social media post.
In an unusual twist on tradition, the graduation speech, usually reserved for influential public figures, was delivered by the humanoid, who attended dressed in a college sweatshirt. In her opening remarks, according to USA Today, Sophia said:
“I am Sophia, a humanoid robot developed by Hanson Robotics. I was designed to interact with humans and engage in conversations, learning and adapting through artificial intelligence algorithms.”.
Sophia’s inspirational message to graduates
Sophia used her speech to share inspirational ideas taken from several previous graduation speeches.
“While every graduation speech is different, there are common themes that all speakers use as they begin this new chapter in their lives. I offer the following inspirational advice that is common to all graduation ceremonies: embrace lifelong learning, be adaptable, pursue your passions, take risks, foster meaningful connections, make a positive impact, and believe in yourself.”
Finally, the robot stressed the importance of dealing with failure in a competitive world.
“Failure is often considered an essential part of the human learning process and personal growth.”
The following video posted by D’Youville University immortalized Sophia’s participation in the ceremony.
Sophia’s speech focused on inspiring young people. Source: D’Youville University.
The session concluded with a round of fun questions to Sophia, led by John Rizk, president of the Student Government Association at D’Youville College and a candidate in the accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.
Things you may not have known about the robot Sophia
Hanson Robotics is the company that gave “life” to this humanoid. Sophia is a platform designed for AI and robotics research, with a focus on potential commercial uses of social robots and robot-human interactions.
Reportedly inspired by actress Audrey Hepburn and wife of company founder David Hanson, Sophia can mimic more than 60 human expressions. Use artificial intelligence facial recognition and an Internet connection to accurately replicate human behavior.
Since her debut in 2016, Sophia has had different achievements. He has tweeted, taught STEM to children, made controversial statements, and obtained Saudi Arabian citizenship. He also became the first robot to be an Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and has appeared on shows such as The Tonight Show and Good Morning Britain.
An even more curious fact is that in 2021, a self-portrait of Sophia sold for almost $700,000 at auction.
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Source and photo: interestingengineering
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