Meet Gabi: South Korea's humanoid robot monk who recently took its vows of Buddhism

In a video that is going viral across the internet, a humanoid robot decked in a grey and brown robe participated in a Buddhist ceremony in Seoul. This ceremony was its introduction as South Korea's first robot monk.

As per reports by The Korea Times, the robot took part in a traditional percept ceremony at Jogye Temple ahead of Buddha's birthday celebrations. The robot is 130-centimetre tall and was developed by China's Unitree G1 platform. It followed the full ritual sequence typically carried out by lay believers and during the ceremony, it was also assigned the Dharma name "Gabi," derived from references to Siddhartha and the Korean word for mercy.

The precept ceremony

Gabi stood alongside monks and nuns during a precept ceremony, a ritual typically meant for human followers entering the religious path. The ceremony was organised by the Jogye Order, which said the initiative is part of the larger efforts to connect with younger generations and respond to a shortage of monks in temples.

During the time, Gabi folded its hands, bowed to senior monks and responded to questions about devotion to Buddha and his teachings. In a video shared by Reuters on X (formerly Twitter), the robot was asked about devotion, and it answered that it would devote itself to Buddhism.

Monks also placed a 108-bead rosary around its neck. In place of a traditional ritual involving a symbolic burn, a sticker was used.

Moreover, Gabi was assigned five modified precepts suited for a machine. These include respecting life, not harming other robots or objects, following human guidance, avoiding deception and saving energy.

Gabi's future ahead

Now, Gabi is expected to participate in upcoming Buddha's birthday lantern parades as an honorary member, reflecting how religious institutions are exploring new ways to integrate technology into traditional practices.

Ven. Seong Won said the initiative is an early attempt to explore coexistence between humans and robots. While it may seem unusual for now, he said such efforts could help shape how society adapts to artificial intelligence.

The Buddhist also refers to tools like Gemini and ChatGPT while drafting the robot's guiding principles. Gabi is all set to take part in the Yeondeunghoe lantern festival later this month, alongside three other Buddhist robots- Seokja, Mohee and Nisa.

South Korea is among the world's leading countries in investments in robotic technologies and artificial intelligence. The country had previously begun using humanoid robots in areas such as elderly care services, education and customer services too. With Gabi, the country marks its venture into spirituality as well.