Meet ‘Gabi,’ the Robot That Just Became a Monk at a Buddhist Temple in South Korea

Believers Community News 

Last May, a ceremony held at a Buddhist temple in downtown Seoul included a monk unlike any other. Despite wearing the same robes as the other monks, the four-foot-tall humanoid robot, named Gabi, was unmistakable. 

For the temple, this marks the first time a robot has participated in the sugye initiation ceremony, when followers pledge their devotion to the Buddha and his teachings. Gabi (a Buddhist name meaning mercy) was made by a Chinese civilian robotics company. 

During the ceremony, the robot agreed to five vows usually recited by human monks and slightly altered for the humanoid. The robot pledged to respect life, act with peace toward other robots and objects, listen to humans, refrain from acting or speaking in a deceptive manner, and save energy. 

Gabi participated in a modified yeonbi purification ritual. While a human monk normally receives a small incense burn on the arm, instead Gabi received a lotus lantern festival sticker and a prayer bead necklace. 

The landmark event aligns with the promise made during a New Year’s address by the Venerable Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, to incorporate artificial intelligence into the Buddhist tradition. 

“We aim to fearlessly lead the A.I. era and redirect its achievements toward the path of attaining peace of mind and enlightenment,” he said, per a statement. 

The idea that Buddhism—which is losing followers—should reckon with technology was echoed last month by the Venerable Jungnyum, another leader in the order. 

“At this civilizational turning point where artificial intelligence is coming like a tsunami, there is widespread concern and hope that Buddhism should also move toward a new direction of hope,” he said in a news conference, Seoul Economic Daily’s Lee Jae-yong reports. 

The inclusion of robots in religious practice is not unprecedented, but not yet common. In a 2024 literature review, published in the journal Theology and Science, researchers at the University of Vienna and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg found nearly a dozen robots actively participating in liturgical and ritual practices, fewer teaching religious education or performing spiritual care, and even fewer actively preaching. 

“Although empirical evidence suggests that robots are met with an overall neutral to positive reaction by believers, they are sometimes met with dogmatic rejection, for example, because they seemingly cannot weep, worship, or ‘talk to God,’” the researchers wrote. 

So, is this just a goofy trend or something to take note of? Regardless, robots are expensive, high-maintenance, and likely won’t be showing up anytime soon in your local church. But let’s be real, there is no substitute for real people living out real faith. Don’t fall for the hype, whether it’s in the form of a machine, an online bot, or your own hubris.