It may seem trivial, but it may also set a legal precedent. A robot has been granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia. Such legal distinctions can have great implications, as in the case of US corporations being granted rights as legal non-human entities. In some countries, citizenship would also gain intellectual property rights, voting rights, and – well – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The robot is intended to live/operate in an intentional community, a new city focused on business and tourism that is expected to have more robots than people. A small step in a massive project that may have effects that last longer and reach further than can be guessed.
Pretending Not To Panic 