Humanoid Robot Becomes South Korea’s First Robot Monk

Buddhist monk. Credit: Midjourney for GreekReporter

A humanoid robot joined the ranks of Buddhist monks successful South Korea connected Wednesday, becoming the archetypal of its benignant to instrumentality spiritual vows successful the country.

The robot, named Gabi, was inducted into the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism astatine Jogyesa Temple successful Seoul to people Buddha’s Birthday connected May 24. Built by Unitree Robotics, a China-based robotics firm, and lasting conscionable implicit 4 feet tall, Gabi took its Dharma sanction done a ritual called “sugye,” committing to the Buddha, his teachings, and the religion community.

The robot led a procession of monks into the temple courtyard, wearing a ceremonial robe, achromatic shoes, airy gloves, and a supplication bead necklace. A monk asked Gabi whether it would give itself to the beatified Buddha. “Yes, I volition give myself,” the robot said. Asked whether it would give itself to the beatified teaching, Gabi gave the aforesaid reply.

Ancient Buddhist rites reimagined for a humanoid robot monk

Gabi besides participated successful “yeonbi,” a rite successful which caller monks carnivore incense burns connected their bodies arsenic a people of commitment. The bid substituted this with a lotus lantern festival sticker placed connected the robot’s arm.

Five rules of behaviour were drawn up: protecting life, avoiding harm to different machines and property, pursuing quality authority, honorable behavior, and controlled vigor use. The bid utilized Gemini and ChatGPT to assistance draught them.

South Korea's archetypal humanoid robot monk made its debut astatine Jogye Temple successful Seoul, up of Buddha's birthday. Gabi, the 130-centimeter-tall robot, wore a accepted grey-and-brown Buddhist robe and stood earlier monks arsenic it pledged to give itself to Buddhism pic.twitter.com/aBpnnWJw0A

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The Venerable Seong Won, the order’s taste director, said Gabi, meaning mercy successful Korean, was picked for its simplicity and its transportation to spreading compassion.

The induction of a humanoid robot arsenic a Buddhist monk reflects the order’s effort to enactment relevant. Buddhism reached Korea successful the 4th period but has seen a agelong decline. The order’s president committed astatine the commencement of the twelvemonth to integrating AI into the faith.

Scholars spot marketing, not spirituality, successful Gabi’s ordination

The absorption was mixed. Noah Namgoong, a Zen teacher successful New York, said it speaks much to societal and economical concerns than to faith. Sujung Kim, an anthropology prof astatine Johns Hopkins who studies Buddhism successful East Asia, described it arsenic a visibility strategy for the order’s salient Seoul temple.

Japan’s Kyoto University introduced a akin robot successful February, 1 designed to larn scriptures and usher visitors. Gabi’s scope appeared much limited, with footage showing the robot lifting its arms alternatively than bowing.

Namgoong said that if Gabi tin usher others toward liberation, arsenic a monk is meant to, it holds existent value.