If scientists got a machine to walk and talk - does/should it have rights?

[The Lemming Stomper]

 

[vegster]

If it works, George Osborne will find some way of taxing it and making its dubious level of existence miserable.

 

[Biscuit]

If it works, George Osborne will find some way of taxing it and making its dubious level of existence miserable.

I sense empathy towards our new friends already. Time to treat them as equals I say! If they're smarter than us, would we trust one to be our Prime Minister?