Overview
- Gabi, a Unitree G1 humanoid that joined an ordination‑style rite Wednesday at Seoul’s Jogye Temple, answered ritual questions and accepted vows before monks.
- Order leaders presented the move as outreach to younger visitors and a test of AI in spiritual life, which drew public questions in South Korea and abroad.
- During the ceremony the robot pressed its palms together, bowed, received a 108‑bead mala that marks commitment in Buddhism, and wore a sticker in place of the usual small incense burn.
- The Jogye Order said it adapted the five Buddhist precepts for a machine and drafted them with help from AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT to guide conduct inside the temple.
- The order plans for Gabi to join the Yeondeunghoe lantern parade later this month with three other robots named Seokja, Mohee, and Nisa.