tech
February 28, 2026
ROBOTS ENTER TEMPLES: First machine-monk introduced, converses with believers and shares life and faith advice (VIDEO)
How a simple gesture can protect the soul and calm the spirit - a lesson from a great saint of our time reveals why proper shading should not be overlooked.

TL;DR
- Budaroid, a humanoid robot, has been developed at Kyoto University to serve as a machine-monk.
- The robot can answer questions, participate in rituals, and adapt its responses to individual conversations.
- It is trained on a vast amount of Buddhist sacred texts, including complex esoteric works.
- The development is partly driven by the declining number of Buddhist monks in Japan and the need for assistance in rural temples.
- Budaroid represents an advancement where AI can conduct real-time conversations rather than just reciting pre-prepared text.
- Ethical discussions about the role of AI in religious life are deemed necessary.
Continue reading the original article