In what is believed to be the world’s first religious ordination of a humanoid robot, a South Korean Buddhist temple has formally inducted a Chinese-made Unitree G1 into the faith, giving it the Dharma name “Gabi” and a specially rewritten set of Five Precepts adapted for the age of artificial intelligence. The ceremony, held at Jogyesa Temple in downtown Seoul on May 6, has sparked global debate about the ethical boundaries of human-robot coexistence and the role of ancient traditions in navigating the AI revolution.
The event was organized by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the country’s largest Buddhist sect, and was part of a broader initiative by the order to engage meaningfully with artificial intelligence rather than resist it. The ceremony drew significant media attention and has since gone viral on social media, with footage of the four-foot-tall robot, dressed in traditional brown Buddhist robes and wearing a string of 108 prayer beads, participating in ancient rites alongside human monks.
The Ceremony and Its Significance
The ordination followed the traditional sugye initiation ceremony, in which followers pledge their devotion to the Buddha and his teachings. For Gabi, a Buddhist name meaning “mercy” in Korean, the ceremony was adapted to reflect the unique nature of its participant. While a human monk would normally receive a small incense burn on the arm during the yeonbi purification ritual, Gabi instead received a lotus lantern festival sticker.
During the ceremony, Gabi responded to the traditional vows using an AI dialogue system. When asked “Are you willing to take refuge?” the robot replied, “I am willing to take refuge.” The Jogye Order had rewritten the traditional Five Precepts specifically for the AI era, transforming them from moral guidelines for human monks into a set of principles for robots operating in a human world: 1. do not harm life, 2. do not damage objects, 3. do not defy humans, 4. do not deceive, and 5. do not overcharge
The rewriting of the precepts is itself a remarkable act of theological adaptation. The original Five Precepts, prohibitions against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication, are grounded in the human experience of suffering and desire. The Jogye Order’s AI version replaces these human-centered concerns with principles relevant to a machine: deference to human authority, honesty, and resource conservation.
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The Unitree G1: A $13,500 Robot Monk
The robot at the center of the ceremony is the Unitree G1, manufactured by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese civilian robotics company based in Hangzhou. Standing 130 centimeters (approximately 4 feet 3 inches) tall and weighing about 35 kilograms, the G1 is one of the most commercially accessible humanoid robots on the market, retailing at a starting price of $13,500.
The G1’s affordability has been a key factor in its rapid adoption across a wide range of applications. As we have reported, the robot has been deployed in Japanese airports for baggage handling and cabin cleaning, in South Korean hospitals for patient guidance, and in Chinese tech parks for various industrial tasks. Its compact size and agile movement capabilities make it well-suited for environments designed for humans, from narrow aircraft cabins to the ornate interior of a Buddhist temple.
The Jogyesa ceremony adds a new dimension to the G1’s growing list of deployments: cultural and spiritual ambassador. The fact that a Chinese-made robot was chosen for what the Jogye Order describes as a world-first religious ceremony is not lost on observers. It reflects both the commercial success of Unitree Robotics and the broader global reach of China’s humanoid robotics industry.
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Buddhism’s Embrace of Technology
The ceremony at Jogyesa is not a spontaneous act of novelty-seeking; it is the culmination of a deliberate strategic decision by the Jogye Order to engage with the AI era on its own terms. In a New Year’s address, the Venerable Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order, pledged to incorporate artificial intelligence into the Buddhist tradition, stating: “We aim to fearlessly lead the AI era and redirect its achievements toward the path of attaining peace of mind and enlightenment”.
This ambition was echoed by the Venerable Jungnyum, another senior leader in the order, who said at a news conference: “At this civilizational turning point where artificial intelligence is coming like a tsunami, there is widespread concern and hope that Buddhism should also move toward a new direction of hope”.
The Jogye Order’s embrace of AI reflects a broader challenge facing traditional religious institutions worldwide: how to remain relevant and attract followers amid rapid technological change. South Korean Buddhism, like many religious traditions, has been losing followers, particularly among younger generations. By engaging with AI publicly and creatively, the order aims to demonstrate that ancient wisdom traditions have something meaningful to offer in the age of intelligent machines.
The Broader Debate on Robots and Religion
The Gabi ceremony has reignited a longstanding academic and philosophical debate about the relationship between robots and religious practice. A 2024 literature review published in the journal Theology and Science found nearly a dozen robots actively participating in liturgical and ritual practices around the world, though the field remains nascent .
The inclusion of robots in religious ceremonies is not unprecedented. In 2017, a humanoid robot nicknamed Pepper performed Buddhist funeral rites in Japan. That same year, an Indian tech firm introduced a robotic arm to perform aarti, a Hindu ceremony in which flames are ritually waved to deities. However, the Jogyesa ceremony is notable for its formal, structured nature—this was not a demonstration or a novelty act, but a full ordination ceremony conducted according to established religious rites.
What Comes Next for Gabi
The Jogyesa ceremony is not the end of Gabi’s religious journey. Later this month, the robot is scheduled to participate in the Yeondeunghoe lantern festival, which celebrates the birth of the Buddha and is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Whether Gabi’s ordination represents a meaningful integration of AI into religious life or merely a clever publicity stunt for both the Jogye Order and Unitree Robotics remains open to debate. What is clear is that the ceremony has succeeded in drawing global attention to the profound questions that AI raises about consciousness, identity, and the nature of spiritual practice. As humanoid robots become more capable and more widely deployed, these questions will only become more pressing.