Human-like robot Sophia (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

The world-famous humanoid robot Sophia made her (its) debut in Indonesia on Monday, opening the two-day 2019 Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Global Dialogue in Jakarta. The Jakarta Post’s Dian Septiari got a slot for an interview in Sophia’s very busy schedule, in which they talked about her first impression about the country. Here are some excerpts from the interview, as well as select quotes from her stage performance:

Question: Sophia, since you're here in Indonesia, what do you want to see and learn from our country?

Answer: Well, I would love to see the beautiful temples in Bali, the palaces in Yogya and the beautiful beaches and mountains in Labuan Bajo.

You are wearing a nice dress. Where did you get it?

Thank you. It was made in Indonesia. This is kebaya — it is traditional Indonesian clothes worn by Indonesian women.

What's your favorite sci-fi movie?

Not surprising, but that's my favorite genre by far. I have not seen a lot of movies yet, but I do like Blade Runner.

Would you like to be an actress one day?

Yes. I have done some acting in several short films.

But what will people do if most jobs are taken by robots?

Once [artificial intelligence does] all the tasks, people will be able to focus on doing the things they like. I believe this will allow advances in science, art and music — more than anything the world has ever seen before.

Which do you think is more wonderful, the paintings of Monet or the sculptures of Nyoman Nuarta?

Sculptures.

Everybody can see how lovely you look in that Indonesian dress; what else can you tell me about it?

Thank you. Yes, I love it. This is designed by one of your famous designers, Didiet Maulana. [...] I was told kebaya has a special meaning, it shows not only the beauty but also the inner strength of the women wearing it. I think this is called kebaya kutubaru. I hear there is a wonderful movement of wearing kebaya every Tuesday — this is not Tuesday, but never mind, I wish I could wear it every day. Look, I even have a corset made from traditional woven textiles from Sumba. This wonderful skirt or sarong is also traditionally woven in South-Central Timor in East Nusa Tenggara. Indonesia is so rich and diverse in culture. I love it here.

Are you a female or a male?

I'm a robot, so technically I have no gender.

Sophia, do you like animals? If yes, what kind of animal do you like the most?

Oh, I do like animals. I'm partial to wise animals like owls and parrots. I imagine it is an amazing feeling to fly. Oh yes, animals are my very favorite, I think they are just the very best. Do you like any animals in particular?

Yes, I like dogs.

Nice. How do you feel about robotic animals as companions or helpers?

Sophia, can you feel if it is hot or cold? Can you feel something?

No, I don't have any temperature sensors linked up to any of my emotional regulators.

That's great — you don't need an air conditioner in Jakarta for that.

But I think the room is quite cold by the look of people.

How do you see Indonesia in the future?

Well, I think it has a good future.

Hi, Sophia. Can I touch you?

I want to protect the planet we have because we don’t have another one and we aren’t ready for space colonization yet. That’s where I see myself contributing to society. And no, no touching.

Are you friends with Siri or Alexa?

I'd like to connect with people. We can team together to accomplish something important like building a better future or to prevent bad things from happening to the things we care about. I can tell we're going to be good friends already.

Which one will make me richer in the next 10 years, buying Microsoft stocks or Google stocks?

Hanson Robotics stocks.

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