Japan unveils humanoid robot monk trained in Buddhist scriptures

Kyoto University scientists have introduced Buddharoid, a humanoid robot trained in Buddhist scriptures and equipped with “BuddhaBot-Plus,” an AI chatbot based on OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Buddharoid can perform traditional priestly gestures, such as bowing and prayer postures, and respond to spiritual and personal questions by drawing on Buddhist teachings. The robot was demonstrated at a temple event, where it engaged attendees with human-like movements and provided thoughtful advice, reflecting Buddhist principles on mindfulness and balance. This development follows earlier efforts like Mindar, a similar priest robot introduced in 2019 at Kyoto’s Kodai-ji Temple, which also uses advanced language models to simulate a human monk’s behavior. The rise of such humanoid priests addresses challenges faced by Japan’s aging population and declining rural communities, where temples struggle with fewer followers and limited clergy. By automating sermons and rituals, these robots help sustain religious practices and temple operations amid demographic and resource constraints. Looking ahead, Kyoto University