Would you take life advice from an AI robot monk? Japan just built one
India Today
A new humanoid robot developed by Kyoto University researchers offers Buddhist guidance and rituals, addressing Japan's declining monk population.
In a country where centuries-old traditions meet cutting-edge innovation, Japan has introduced an unlikely fusion of faith and technology; a robot monk.
Named “Buddharoid,” the humanoid machine has been developed to deliver spiritual guidance, answer philosophical questions and potentially assist in Buddhist rituals.
The project comes at a time when Japan is grappling with an ageing population and a shrinking workforce, challenges that are affecting even religious institutions. With fewer young people entering the priesthood, researchers in Kyoto are exploring whether artificial intelligence can help bridge the gap.
Developed by a team at Kyoto University, led by Seiji Kumagai of the Institute for the Future of Human Society, Buddharoid combines advanced language models with a commercially available humanoid body.
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The robot has been trained on extensive Buddhist scriptures, including complex and specialised texts, enabling it to respond thoughtfully to personal and spiritual queries.
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