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Gabi, an AI Robot, Has Been Ordained and Is Now a Buddhist Monk<br>Learn how a religious order in South Korea is embracing AI and robotics and what that could mean for religion around the world.<br>Written byRosie McCall Rosie McCall

Rosie McCall is a London-based freelance writer who frequently contributes to Discover Magazine, specializing in science, health, and the environment.<br>View Full Profile.<br>Learn about our Editorial Policy.

2026-05-18T22:15:00 | 3 min read

Part of a Korean Buddhist temple, not associated with Gabi. (Image Credit: hdholdings/Shutterstock) Newsletter<br>Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

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Upon entering the religious community, monks of the Jogye Order of Buddhism undergo a sacred rite of passage known as ordination. Things were no different for Gabi, who was recently ordained at an event held to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday in early May.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-shared">

Only Gabi is not like the other monks. This is because Gabi is not made of flesh and bone, but of electrical algorithms and aluminum. Gabi is a four-foot humanoid. According to a statement released by the Jogye Order, the introduction of the community’s first robotic monk was intended to highlight the importance of embedding technology with the values of compassion, wisdom, and responsibility, while showing how humans and robots can coexist harmoniously, balancing tradition with the future.<br>Read More : Brown Bears Look Alike to the Human Eye — An AI Program Is Helping to Observe Their Differences<br>Gabi, South Korea’s Robo-Monk<br>Gabi’s ordination took place on May 6, 2026, in Jogyesa Temple in Seoul, South Korea, under a ceiling of colorful lanterns. Here, the robot, dressed in the order’s traditional gray and brown robes, pledged the Five Precepts (vows designed to help Buddhists live morally).<br>According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, these vows had been adapted with Gabi in mind. The new, robo-inspired pledges included promising to follow humans and not talk back, refrain from deceitful behavior, and save energy by not overcharging. The humanoid also promised not to harm life, other robots, or objects.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-mobile-1">

Since the ordination ceremony, Gabi has played a part in religious events, recently leading a procession of around 100,000 lanterns to mark the beginning of the Lotus Lanterns Festival. On May 16, 2026, the AI monk was joined by other humanoids named Seokja, Mohui, and Nisa, as well as two autonomous robots named Newbie. The purpose, according to a second statement released by the order, was to demonstrate cooperation between technology and humans.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-desktop-1">

The ceremony follows a speech presented at a New Year’s press conference by Most Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, which acknowledged the role of “cutting-edge science and AI” in modern life and the order’s ambition “to fearlessly lead in the AI era.”<br>“Korean Buddhism will now lay the foundation for integrating the wisdom of Seon meditation and Buddhist practice with quantum science and artificial intelligence, to create a Buddhism that resonates with modern sensibilities and scientific thought,” Most Ven. Jinwoo said during a press conference at the time.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-mobile-2">

Spiritual Robots and Chatbots<br>Gabi is not the only spiritual robot, and Buddhism is not the only religion to adopt AI. An app offering video calls with an AI-generated “Jesus” for $1.99 a minute, a robotic prayer companion resembling a Catholic statue, and a chatbot that supposedly allows users to gain spiritual insight from Krishna are just a handful of examples.<br>Robots even appear to be getting into the business of preaching. An android called Mindar has led Buddhist sermons in Japan, and ChatGPT created and delivered an address to over 300 Lutherans at a church in Germany.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-desktop-2">

Meanwhile, other sectors are also introducing AI-powered humanoids. Earlier this year, BMW launched a pilot project to deploy humanoid workers at its car manufacturing factory in Leipzig, Germany, while scientists at the Institute of Science in Tokyo have introduced robotic research assistants to their lab.<br>div]:relative" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-playwire-inbody-mobile-3">

When it comes to AI adoption, many Americans are skeptical, with data...