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This week, Saudi Arabia granted citizenship to a robot and unveiled plans for a fully autonomous city
Saudi Arabia dominated the headlines this week, as the country became the first to recognise a humanoid robot as a citizen and announced plans to invest $500 billion into a city that will be run using artificial intelligence.
Sophia, an intelligent humanoid robot created by Hanson Robotics, became the first AI device to be awarded citizenship of a country.
She announced the decision during a panel discussion at the Future Investment Initiative conference, during which she also poked fun at Elon Musk's fears over the future risk posed by robots to humanity.
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The Saudi Arabian government took plans for technological advancement a further step, announcing a $500 billion investment in a fully automated city to be shared with Egypt and Jordan. The 26,500-square-kilometre city, Neom, will become an independent economic trade zone with its own laws.
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In Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, Zaha Hadid Architects completed its King Abudullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre, which made up of hexagonal pods that interlock like honeycomb.
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Elsewhere, David Adjaye and Ron Arad won a competition the design the UK's National Holocaust Memorial, to be built near London's Houses of Parliament.
Also in the UK capital, mayor Sadiq Khan claimed that Bloomberg's new Norman Foster-designed European headquarters in the city "sends a clear message to the world" that the city is still open to investment despite Brexit.
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In the US, prototypes of eight designs for President Donald Trump's proposed 30-foot tall border wall were constructed in San Diego, while media mogul Barry Diller launched a final attempt to build Thomas Heatherwick's abandoned treasure island park in New York.
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Snøhetta unveiled plans for Europe's first underwater restaurant, that will be partially submerged in the seas of southern Norway, and one of the world's first 3D-printed concrete bridges completed in the Netherlands.
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Our coverage of Dutch Design Week included sustainable foods of the future, household cleaning products turned into waterless capsules, and a colourful reconfigurable hotel by MVRDV.
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Popular projects on Dezeen this week included a restrained London home extension, and a New York office with a millennial-pink kitchen and dark nap room.