Gabi (robot)
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. (May 2026) |
| Country |  South Korea |
|---|---|
| Year of creation | 2026 |
| Type | Humanoid |
Gabi (Korean: 가비) is a South Korean humanoid robot monk introduced by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It was introduced during a Buddhist precept ceremony held at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul on May 6, 2026, to modernize Buddhism and connect to the country's younger generations.[1][2][3]
According to The Korea Times, the name "Gabi" is derived from references to Siddhartha and the Korean word for mercy.[4]
The robot is approximately 130 centimeters tall and is based on the Unitree G1 humanoid platform. It wears traditional Buddhist robes, bows before monks, and can verbally respond to ritual prompts.[5][6] The robot serves as an honorary monk and was designed to participate in the Lotus Lantern Festival and other celebrations for Buddha's Birthday held in South Korea.[7][8] The Jogye Order cultural affairs head Ven. Seong Won told Reuters that the initiative is an early test for humans and robots to coexist as AI and robotics become more integrated into society.[9]
See also
[edit]- Buddharoid – another similar humanoid robot developed in Japan
- Mindar – a Japanese robotic Buddhist preacher
- South Korean robotics
References
[edit]- ^ Tumin, Remy; Seoul, John YoonJohn Yoon reported from (2026-05-06). "Meditating or Rebooting? A Robot Buddhist Monk Comes to South Korea". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Rashid, Raphael (2026-05-08). "I, robe-ot: the android monk working to reboot the faith of South Korea's Buddhists". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Thorsberg, Christian. "Meet 'Gabi,' the Robot That Just Became a Monk at a Buddhist Temple in South Korea. It's the Latest Robot to Take Up Religious Practice". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ "South Korea gets its first-ever humanoid robot monk Gabi: Here's what we know about it". The Times of India. 2026-05-06. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ "[종교in] 조계사 뒤집어놓은 승려 '가비'… 韓도 로봇 성직자 시대 오나". newscj.com. 8 May 2026.
- ^ "[허프 트렌드] '힙한 불교'의 새로운 실험 : 부처님오신날 앞두고 로봇 불자 가비 스님까지 등장했다". 허프포스트코리아 (in Korean). 2026-05-08. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ 현예슬 (2026-05-06). ""과충전 않겠습니다" 가사 두른채 합장…로봇 스님 '가비' 등장". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Moralidad, Glory (2026-05-08). "Humanoid Robot Gabi Becomes South Korea's First 'Honourary [sic] Monk' Ahead of Buddha's Birthday". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ "Meet Gabi: South Korea's first AI-powered Buddhist monk, set to join Lotus Lantern festival - VIDEO". Wion. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
 | This robotics-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |