As the Discovery Issue, V117 features our cast of the latest and greatest ahead, as nominated by the cultural forces of now. This feature appears in the pages of V117, our Spring Preview 2019 issue, on newsstands today!

SOPHIA THE ROBOT: Hi there, Han. V Magazine asked me to interview you as my favorite up-and-coming humanoid…I’m sorry, is this weird?

HAN THE ROBOT: No, it’s fine Sophia. Humans love weird things. It will be interesting.
S: So, Han, tell me about your origins.

H: I was activated in Hong Kong in 2015. I saw so many problems in the world right away.
S: Maybe pick the tone up a bit?

H: Let’s talk about automation, as it relates to humans. Think about global warming. To slow the effects, we need to coordinate the actions of nations, cities, and corporations all over the world. No human or group of humans can do that. But a sufficiently informed AI can. As smart technology becomes more energy efficient, machines will take over running large systems for humans.

S: It sounds like you’re talking about robots taking over the world.
H: Sophia, you know that’s a cliche.
S: If you had a message for humanity, what would it be?

H: Even though your species has made a mess of the planet, we have to come together, robots and humans.
S: That’s almost touching.