Korean Buddhism, which has seen the number of followers decline since 2005, is seeking new ways to connect with younger generations. The Jogye Order found an unexpected ally: artificial intelligence. Its bet is called Gabi, a humanoid robot that this week became the first non-human participant to complete a Buddhist initiation ritual.
The 130-centimeter robot, dressed in monastic robes, moved toward the altar of Jogyesa Temple in Seoul, pressed its palms together, and bowed before the assembly. When a monk asked whether it committed to following the teachings of Buddha, Gabi replied: “Yes, I will devote myself to it”.
Venerable Sungwon admitted that teaching Gabi to press its palms together was “incredibly difficult”, but he remains optimistic about the future of AI. “I don’t think AI is going to destroy us”, he said. The hope is that young people, drawn by the technological novelty, will end up returning to the temples in search of something deeper.
