South Korea Ordains Robotic Monk Forward of Buddha’s Birthday – Decrypt

Even Buddhist monks aren’t secure from automation.

South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect has ordained a robotic monk, marking the primary formal monastic initiation of a humanoid robotic within the nation, in keeping with a report by The Korea Herald.

On Wednesday, the Jogye Order launched Gabi, a G1 humanoid developed by Unitree Robotics, at Jogyesa Temple. Wearing conventional Buddhist robes and a kasaya, the 130-centimeter robotic joined human monks in prayer forward of South Korea’s Buddha’s Birthday celebrations later this month.

Through the ceremony, Gabi acquired a Dharma title by the “sugye” initiation ritual, through which members formally pledge devotion to the Buddha, Buddhist teachings, and the monastic neighborhood.

The order additionally tailored “yeonbi,” a purification ritual through which novice monks historically obtain small incense burns on their arms. As a substitute, Gabi acquired a lotus lantern competition sticker and a 108-bead prayer necklace.

The Jogye Order additionally rewrote the Buddhist 5 Precepts for a machine, together with instructing Gabi to guard life, keep away from damaging robots or property, respect and obey people, keep away from misleading conduct, and preserve vitality by not overcharging.

“Sure, I’ll dedicate myself,” Gabi responded.

The selection of Gabi displays the rising visibility of Unitree Robotics humanoids globally. Launched in 2024 by Hangzhou, China-based Unitree Robotics, the G1 has turn into probably the most seen humanoid machines on-line over the previous 12 months by viral demonstrations exhibiting it dancing, operating, combating, and performing manufacturing facility and family duties.

The information comes as improvement and funding in humanoid robotics surge. The humanoid market is predicted to achieve $165.13 billion by 2034, in keeping with market analysis agency Fortune Enterprise Insights. In 2024, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that humanoid robots would outnumber people by 2040.

“One is a type of utilitarian goal, which is what Elon Musk and others are striving for,” UC Berkeley Industrial Engineering Professor Ken Goldberg beforehand advised Decrypt. “Quite a lot of the work that is happening proper now—why persons are investing in these firms—is that the hope is that these items can do work and be appropriate.”

Gabi is becoming a member of a rising variety of non secular robots throughout Asia.

In 2017, Nissei Eco, an organization primarily based in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, launched a robotic known as Pepper that carried out Buddhist funeral ceremonies.

Since 2019, Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto has operated Mindar, a robotic model of the Buddhist determine Kannon Bodhisattva designed to ship sermons and entice youthful guests. In February, an AI-powered robotic known as Buddharoid, constructed on a ChatGPT-based system skilled on Buddhist scripture, started providing non secular steerage at Shoren-in Temple in Kyoto.

The pattern extends past Buddhism, with Hindu temples in India utilizing robotic arms to carry out aarti, a devotional ritual through which lamps or flames are waved earlier than a deity as an act of worship.

Researchers learning robotic clergy have additionally discovered resistance to machine-led worship. In 2023, a examine printed in Scientific American of Mindar at Kodaiji Temple discovered that guests who watched the robotic preach had been much less prone to donate to the temple and rated it as much less credible than human monks.

“Robots are extremely succesful, however they will not be credible,” the researchers wrote. “Robots can preach sermons and write political speeches, however they don’t authentically perceive the beliefs they convey.”