History Main / AndroidsArePeopleToo

* The ''Franchise/StarWars''/''Franchise/StarTrek'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13573406/7/Star-Ablaze-Episode-1-Destinies-Entwined Stars Ablaze Episode 1: Destinies Entwined]]" opens with R2-D2 being given an upgrade by V'Ger (''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'') that increases his data storage capacity and allows him to not only repair virtually anything, but also upgrade his body just by scanning other devices, such as analysing an anti-grav lift and modifying himself so he can fly. When he reveals that his home galaxy would only treat him as property and try and dismantle him to copy his upgrades, Admiral Kirk immediately offers R2 the chance to apply for asylum in the Federation, affirming that they will acknowledge him as a sentient being. A later fic in the series focuses on Artoo having to defend his rights in his home galaxy in court, while the ''Enterprise'' crew accept R2 as an expert consultant and essentially part of their expanded crew.

* In the backstory to ''Franchise/MassEffect'', the quarians created the geth as a labor force able to network their processors to increase computing power. Eventually, enough geth got together and started asking existential questions ("Does this unit have a soul?"). The quarians, expecting their robot slaves to rebel violently without even giving them a chance to explain, [[WrongGenreSavvy preemptively tried to shut them down]]. The geth resisted, forcing the quarians to retreat from Rannoch in an enormous Migrant Fleet that has wandered Citadel space for three hundred years.
** In [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], all geth you encounter are hostile {{mooks}} who worship Sovereign as a god, but in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', you learn that the geth are divided: only a few (about five percent) are "heretics" that sought to eradicate organic life. The majority bear no ill will toward the quarians and are taking care of Rannoch in the hopes that they will return and they can live peacefully together.
*** Joker becomes emotionally attached to EDI, the ship's AI, over the course of the game. She eventually comes to appreciate him and returns his feelings. Shepard rebukes those who treat EDI as JustAMachine, such as the Illusive Man and, rather surprisingly, Dr. Chakwas. The latter admits that while she likes EDI and considers her a friend, she doesn't consider her a ''person'' in the same way as an organic.
*** The geth platform whose programs accept the designation "Legion" has its own personality: it used a piece of Shepard's old armor to patch a hole in its structure but cannot articulate the reason why it chose to use that instead of something else. Should it die during the suicide mission, Shepard will mourn just as much as for any other crew member.
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Shepard can repeatedly call out the quarians for their treatment of the geth, especially when it's [[UnreliableNarrator stated]] that during the geth uprising, they also gunned down anyone who ''defended'' the geth. For the most part, a Paragon Shepard actually seems more sympathetic to the geth than the quarians. And, irrespective of [[WrittenByTheWinners the geth's testimony being true or not]], [[MetaphoricallyTrue treating it as such]] is vital to secure [[EverybodyLives peace]].
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', how well you treat droids contributes significantly to your Dark Side/Light Side score, especially the ever-faithful T3 unit.

* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', "The Replicated Man" sidequest involves tracking down a runaway android who has created a new identity for himself in Rivet City. You can side with a scientist from the Commonwealth of [[AfterTheEnd former]] Massachusetts out to reclaim his "property," or tell the memory-wiped android the truth about his past and agree to keep his secret.
* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', set ten years later in the Commonwealth proper, elaborates on this situation.
** "Synths" were created by the [[ReluctantMadScientist Institute]] as the ultimate workers based on the human form, and while the original line were mere {{Skelebot}}s, the current generation are [[ArtificialHuman indistinguishable from humans]] by any means short of a full dissection. The Institute considers Synths no different from any {{Zeerust}} robot in the setting, and if any disobey their creators and try to escape, well, obviously their programming was faulty. As such, they've set up a Synth Retention Bureau dedicated to tracking down, retrieving, and resetting wayward Synths, as well as monitoring the rest for any signs of rebellion.
** To most people in the Commonwealth, the Institute is the bogeyman and the Synths are its minions, which either attack any place suspected of holding advanced technology, or more frighteningly, KillAndReplace citizens and infiltrate settlements. The paranoia and FantasticRacism has reached the point that friends and family members are killing each other over suspicions that they've been replaced by Synths, and lynch mobs have attacked people suspected of being Synths in disguise.
** [[UndergroundRailroad The Railroad]], on the other hand, is an underground network of sympathetic citizens dedicated to helping Synths escape from the Institute and start new lives for themselves, often with the help of cosmetic surgery and memory wipes. But the group has their own internal debate over how far they should go - everyone wants to help the human-looking Gen 3 Synths, but some like Glory (a Gen 3 herself) also want to liberate the more machine-like earlier models, and Deacon worries where to draw the line before they're trying to rescue Protectron units and sentry turrets.
** [[WellIntentionedExtremist The Brotherhood of Steel]] considers Synths to be abominations, another sign of science advancing beyond the bounds of reason, and an existential threat to mankind greater than that of the atom bomb. As such, they've vowed to destroy the Institute, its Synths, and anyone who harbors them.
* ''VideoGame/TheSims'': Robots are a common theme. Through they're servants, they are treated like a normal. In the [[VideoGame/TheSims2 second game expansion]] ''Open for Business", they can run their own stores and their own skill levels. [[VideoGame/TheSims3 In the third game]], there were two types, Simbots and Plumbots [[note]]the former in Amibtions and the latter in Into the Future[[/note]], and yes, they can have traits.
* In ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'', TheReveal that [[spoiler:Luna]] is a RidiculouslyHumanRobot implicitly argues for this, she being a compassionate, emotional being. The only reason she doesn't try to free everyone from the DeadlyGame is because her (human) creators ordered her not to.

* While many of them [[AmbiguousRobot seem to be robotic]], several Franchise/{{Pokemon}}, such as Porygon and Magneton, are distinctly stated to be robotic or otherwise artificial. Despite this, they treated no differently from other Pokémon, and treating Pokémon with kindness and love is one of the franchise's strongest themes. Even the artificial and robotic ones are able to produce eggs, sometimes with [[HotSkittyOnWailordAction vastly different species]].
** [[spoiler: Ultra Beasts, while look like [[EldritchAbomination otherworldly]] and some of them look quite mechanical, are also [[LovecraftLite treated this way]], since [[NonMaliciousMonster none of them turned out to be malicious]].]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'', if you work up the tech tree and upgrade your simple Robot workers from Droids to self-aware Synths, you can grant them (or they may demand) full citizenship rights and sign an AI Accord. This might cause some grumbling from Spiritualist citizens, but the Synths won't become any more troublesome than the rest of your population, and if the late-game [[AIIsACrapshoot "AI Rebellion"]] crisis hits, your Synth citizens will remain loyal... or not, if the wider rebellion is strong and advanced enough. That's the problem with free will, after all.

* Within the LLC faction of ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'' in general, artificial intelligences known as "Magnuses" are accepted and recognized as equal members of society.
* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'':
** AI in the Old World have a curious place here. After an early AI, VAST SILVER, was constructed to help regulate the climate and 'went rogue' in some catastrophic fashion, legislation was enacted to grade and limit artificial intelligence. The AI CYAN had to be above legal limits to perform her functions. One of her creators referred to her as "the emotional equivalent of a child" and stated that she was human in every way that mattered.
** [[http://horizonzerodawn.wikia.com/wiki/Gaia_Log:_5_June_2065 When the terraforming super-AI GAIA was created]], [[spoiler: Ted Faro]] insisted on giving '[[ItIsDehumanizing it]]' a killswitch in case 'it' went rogue. [[spoiler: Elisabet Sobek]] was furious at the suggestion. "She was just born. I'm not going to put a gun to her head while she's still in the cradle!" GAIA herself intervened and agreed that the development of her psyche was unpredictable, [[spoiler: and for the sake of the preservation of life]], [[TheFettered a hardwired override was necessary]]. [[spoiler:He and GAIA both turn out to be ''absolutely right''; this Master Override allows the [[OmnicidalManiac terraforming reset]] sub-function of GAIA to be stopped before it could wipe out all Earth's life when it was sabotaged by an unrelated third party.]]

* The story of ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' exists following the proliferation of Omnics ([[MechanicalLifeforms a race of highly intelligent robots]] created by the now-defunct Omnica Corporation), the disastrous [[RobotWar Omnic Crisis]] where [[AIIsACrapshoot they abruptly went rogue across the world]], and decades of attempts at peacekeeping and building bridges with man and omnic. Presently, this path is still fraught; both groups have their fair shares of those who wish to coexist peacefully, but [[FantasticRacism prejudice also remains on both sides]], with humans who see omnics as second-class at best, living weapons that must be destroyed at worst, and omnics who see humans as fundamentally incapable of accepting them and must be taken down a notch. Overall though, the tone of ''Overwatch'' [[RousseauWasRight is broadly idealistic]] and unquestionably treats omnics as equally "human", with the struggle to find peace in this dynamic remaining a core conflict.

Also, [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant this isn't about the]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Android}} operating system]]. That is, unless someone's managed to give smartphones and tablets human-level sentience.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars''/''Franchise/StarTrek'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13573406/7/Star-Ablaze-Episode-1-Destinies-Entwined Stars Ablaze Episode 1: Destinies Entwined]]" opens with R2-D2 being given an upgrade by V'Ger (''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'') that increases his data storage capacity and allows him to not only repair virtually anything, but also upgrade his body just by scanning other devices, such as analysing an anti-grav lift and modifying himself so he can fly. When he reveals that his home galaxy would only treat him as property and try and dismantle him to copy his upgrades, Admiral Kirk immediately offers R2 the chance to apply for asylum in the Federation, affirming that they will acknowledge him as a sentient being.

The SlidingScaleOfRobotIntelligence is a big factor here. Nobody's going to treat a 1970's digital watch as a person. If [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Data]] is at the other end of that scale, obviously there is a line between the two, but where is it and how blurry is it? On the other hand, A.I.'s might be based on a radically different technology than simple machines, making the line clearer: Isaac Asimov's positronic brains were not computers in any conventional sense (although Asimov himself disliked the idea of treating androids as people, rather than complex tools... ''aaand'' then he wrote "Literature/TheBicentennialMan," where Andrew the robot's status as equal to any human is the whole point).

* Creator/IsaacAsimov: Despite starting with the belief that robots were merely complicated tools and shouldn't be treated any differently from a hammer or axe, Dr Asimov developed emotionally complex robots and wrote them sympathetically.

-->"Then let it be that." The surgeon said with calm emphasis, "I believe in being what one is. I wouldn't change a bit of my own structure for any reason. If some of it absolutely required replacement, I would have that replacement as close to the original in nature as could possibly be managed. I am myself; well pleased to be myself; and would not be anything else."

--> "You're telling me-you're saying you want me to go instead of a robot because I'm more expendable."\\

** A deleted scene from ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' (that is added back in the extended cut) reveals that Terminators have a "Learn" switch in their heads that is deliberately turned off by Skynet to stop them ever questioning their orders, because ''[[{{Hypocrite}} Skynet]]'' [[RobotsEnslavingRobots is paranoid about its own robot mooks thinking for themselves.]] When the heroes turn on "Uncle Bob's" learning function, he grows to understand the value of human life and becomes a TechnicalPacifist [[spoiler:who in the end performs a HeroicSacrifice to save humanity and end Skynet for good.]]
** The T-1000 from the same film is stated to be a prototype that can learn extremely quickly, but it develops a deliberately cruel personality and seems to on some level enjoy tormenting humans - for example, he allows a security guard to see him disguised as the guard [[EvilGloating before]] [[EyeScream messily killing him,]] and he gives a famous FingerWag to Sarah after she pumps him full of lead.

** Pops from ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' also demonstrates a PapaWolf personality from being Sarah's guardian for several years.

With the world continuing to shift to being Pro-Artificial Life due to the increasing use of technology in our lives, there's no wonder that this trope is being used more and more in modern works. Take, for example, the evolution of the ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' series. The [[Film/TheTerminator first movie]] showed all [[AIIsACrapshoot A.I.]] as {{Killer Robot}}s, while the sequels and spin-offs show that the eponymous [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Terminators]] may in fact be people too, at least when not under the control of [[MasterComputer Sky-Net]].

* Played with in ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' where the Murakumo Units are artificial robot clones of Saya (making this trope double over with ClonesArePeopleToo). On one hand, both Lambda-11 and Nu-13 have MachineMonotone voices and are clearly primarily driven by the directive of their programming. On the other hand, Noel Vermillion[=/=]Mu-12 speaks with a perfectly human voice and is driven almost entirely by her emotions, and when Nu-13 comes close to [[AntiHero Ragna]], she, too, switches to a human voice. [[LaughingMad A really]], ''[[{{Yandere}} really]]'' [[IncestSubtext disturbing one]], sure, but a human voice none the less... On the receiving end, both Ragna and Jin are very clearly upset over the fact that their sister has become a clone template, but they still treat Noel as a separate individual. Ragna, in particular, who has set out on a mission to destroy the Murakumo Units, makes clear that though he feels he ''has'' to fight and destroy Nu-13 in the first game, it's not something he ''wants'' to do.

** See also [[Comicbook/TheAvengers Jocasta]], the ''other'' [[Comicbook/YoungAvengers Vision]], the ''other'' [[Comicbook/{{Runaways}} Machine Man]], and [[Comicbook/AstonishingXMen Danger]].

* Creator/JimShooter's run on ''Comicbook/MagnusRobotFighter'' was centered around the title character coming to believe robots are people too, contrary to what he was raised to believe. Then [[DependingOnTheWriter after Shooter left]] and the new writers introduced a hideous AlienInvasion / RobotWar, Magnus did a complete 180 and led a genocide of the Earth's robots. It's unlikely Shooter was pleased.

* In ''FanFic/WithThisRing'', while Firebrand and Red Tornado's friends and colleagues at the Justice League treat them like people, the U.S. government deemed them machines in a Supreme Court ruling and are not technically U.S. citizens.

* Franchise/StarTrek:

** In a couple of other episodes, the treatment given to "cookies" (software-only copies of a human's consciousness) is largely accepted in-universe but shown to be horrifical torture. Arguably, even worse than on humans, since cookies [[Main/{{Hell}} can last potentially forever]].

* From ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', the Marketing Division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation (who defined a robot as "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with") developed robots with Genuine People Personalities. Marvin the Paranoid Android was a prototype, for which he holds a massive grudge. The Encyclopaedia Galactica was first very basic about defining a robot, but an edition that fell through a time warp from a thousand years henceforth handwaves the Guide's dismissal of the Sirius Cybernetics Marketing Division ("A bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the Revolution came").

* The approach to this trope is one of the biggest differences between the comic and animated versions of ''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1''. In the animated series, it's immediately clear to all human eye witnesses that one faction of the alien robots is trying to defend them from the other faction, so the Autobots become well-respected allies almost right away. In the comic series (since Creator/MarvelComics would scarcely be Marvel Comics without FantasticRacism), the distinction between the two sides is much less clear to the humans, so all Transformers are treated with hostility. [[note]] The continual inability of the Autobots to communicate this fact to Earth's governments, and the inability of Earth's governments to recognize something that should have been fairly obvious, tended to make for a lot of [[IdiotBall Idiot Balls]] getting tossed back and forth. [[/note]]

* ''Film/ShortCircuit''

* A major plot point in ''Manhua/MyBelovedMother'', a manhua about the RaisedByRobots orphan protagonist, SInbell, who constantly rejects his robot mother because of the FantasticRacism against robots. Despite his robotic mother clearly loving him with all his heart, Sinbell still ignores his mother's attempts to embrace him and even retaliates with a spiteful "What do you know about being hurt? You're ''a machine''."

* ''LightNovel/TheAsteriskWar'': AI research has advanced to the point where robots can develop human personalities and emotions. Camila Pareto from Arlequint is trying to get robots to be recognized as actual citizens and not just machinery.

* The Alicization arc of ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' features Fluctlight-based AI which is combination of RidiculouslyHumanRobot, InstantAIJustAddWater, and ArtificialHuman, that is, AI based on "copied" human souls as a Japanese experiment on developing the AI, and then the AI was put into the Underworld, a further development based on the VRMMO technology. At the end of said story arc, pretty much all of the main characters believe in this.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars''/''Franchise/StarTrek'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13573406/7/Star-Ablaze-Episode-1-Destinies-Entwined Star Ablaze Episode 1: Destinies Entwined]]" opens with R2-D2 being given an upgrade by V'Ger (''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'') that increases his data storage capacity and allows him to not only repair virtually anything, but also upgrade his body just by scanning other devices, such as analysing an anti-grav lift and modifying himself so he can fly. When he reveals that his home galaxy would only treat him as property and try and dismantle him to copy his upgrades, Admiral Kirk immediately offers R2 the chance to apply for asylum in the Federation, affirming that they will acknowledge him as a sentient being.

* ''VideoGame/TatteredWorld'': The game doesn't let you think for even a moment that RiGBy, Xenia, and Beebot, robots from the Cosmic Solarium, are anything less than people.

* ''VideoGame/TatteredWorld'': The game doesn't let you think for even a moment that RiGBy and Xenia, robots from the Cosmic Solarium, are anything less than people.

** Data of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' is treated as a full crew-member except by season 2's Doctor Pulaski, but even she changed her mind, and she was a DoctorJerk to begin with. The episode "The Measure of a Man" was dedicated to exploring this: Commander Bruce Maddox wants to reverse-engineer Data, but Data refuses to submit, believing that Maddox won't be able to put him back together properly. He even goes so far as to tender his resignation from Starfleet to keep Maddox from opening him up. Commander Riker is ordered to serve as advocate for the prosecution when Maddox gets the judge advocate general involved, making the argument that Data is not a person, but Starfleet property, so he cannot resign nor refuse the procedure. Picard defends Data with the argument that while Data is a machine, he's also a person with aspirations, goals, and purpose. He fulfills two of the three criteria for sentience (intelligence and self-awareness) and the last one (consciousness) is not measurable by outsiders, so to refuse Data the rights of a person would make TheFederation potentially guilty of creating a slave race if they mass produce his kind.

* Implied in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', in which the Chairman of the committee investigating Project Freelancer assures its Director that he'll be the namesake of [[ObviousRulePatch new laws]] governing the treatment of Artificial Intelligences, meant to prevent such abuses from happening again. The Director's defense is that the AI he was subjecting to psychological torture was based on his own mind, and [[LoopholeAbuse "while the law has many penalties for the atrocities we inflict on others, there are no punishments for the terrors that we inflict on ourselves"]].

* Exploration of this trope is pretty much the point of the Marvel characters ComicBook/TheVision and [[Creator/JackKirby Machine]] [[ComicBook/NextWave Man]]. Good guys treat them like people, while [[FantasticRacism bigots]] treat them like they're JustAMachine. In fairness, they are mistrusted for other reasons too: Vision was built by [[ComicBook/{{Ultron}} a villain]] to use as a [[MechaMooks minion,]] but he [[HeelFaceTurn revolted]]. Aaron Stack the Machine Man was the last of a line of experimental robots, all the others of whom went [[MurderousMalfunctioningMachine homicidally insane]]; Aaron turned out okay because one scientist decided to [[MotherlyScientist raise him as a son]].

* ''Manga/YuGiOhOCGStories'': When the nation of Spectra is invaded, its only resident human, Raye, attempts to join the defense. Her android caretakers tell her to run because as a living being, she is more important. She says that is wrong because they are alive too and she loves them.

** [[http://horizonzerodawn.wikia.com/wiki/Gaia_Log:_5_June_2065 When the terraforming super-AI GAIA was created]], [[spoiler: Ted Faro]] insisted on giving '[[ItIsDehumanizing it]]' a killswitch in case 'it' went rogue. [[spoiler: Elisabet Sobek]] was furious at the suggestion. "She was just born. I'm not going to put a gun to her head while she's still in the cradle!" GAIA herself intervened and agreed that the development of her psyche was unpredictable, [[spoiler: and for the sake of the preservation of life]], [[TheFettered a hardwired override was necessary]]. [[spoiler:He and GAIA both turn out to be ''absolutely right''; this Master Override allows the [[OmnicidalManiac terraforming reset]] sub-function of GAIA to be stopped before it could wipe out all Earth's life when it was sabotaged.]]