The Buddharoid, a humanoid robot monk unveiled by researchers at Kyoto University, is just another step into the normalisation of this technology.
The artificial intelligence (AI) sector is truly moving at a speed never before seen. It wasn’t that long ago that just ChatGPT and Ghibli trends were the only things; now we’ve got 10 different AI platforms, multiple different trends and the inclusion of robots into the mix as well.
The way that this sector has been progressing, and in turn led to the advancement of the robot sector as well, is surely something interesting to witness. The introduction of the Buddharoid, however, is a unique combination of technology and the spiritual life.
What Is The Buddharoid?
Buddharoid is a humanoid, AI-driven robot monk designed to provide spiritual guidance rooted in Buddhism. Unlike simple chatbots or pre-recorded sermon dispensers, it is built to hold interactive conversations with people, drawing on Buddhist teachings (rather than scripted responses).
The robot was created under a project led by Seiji Kumagai, a professor at the University of Kyoto’s Institute for the Future of Human Society, in collaboration with the tech ventures Teraverse and XNOVA.
Kumagai has been working on religious AI tools for several years, including AI chatbots rooted in Buddhist teachings like Buddha Bot and other spiritual assistants that preceded Buddharoid’s development.
The robot uses AI grounded in an advanced chatbot called BuddhaBot-Plus, a generative AI model derived from OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology, which has been extensively trained on a vast set of Buddhist scriptures, from foundational sutras to highly specialised philosophical texts.
These texts give the robot a “digital mind” capable of addressing personal, ethical, or spiritual questions in context.
The robot monk is created using the Chinese-made “Unitree G1” humanoid robot and installed with the updated “BuddhaBot-Plus”.
Physically, Buddharoid is a humanoid machine, and the Unitree G1 hardware makes it capable of walking slowly, bowing, gesturing, and performing traditional postures such as the gassho (hands placed together in prayer).
Kumagai presented the humanoid to the media in a temple on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, where it interacted with journalists and performed various tasks.
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During its unveiling in late February 2026 at the Shoren-in Temple, Kyoto Prefecture, researchers emphasised that the robot is intended as a supportive tool, not a replacement for human monks.
However, in a statement, the university did say that, “In the future, AI humanoid robots are expected to be utilised in the religious field, such as assisting with or performing some of the religious rituals traditionally conducted by human priests.”
“This is anticipated to bring about a paradigm shift in religious culture.”
Buddharoid’s main purpose is to engage in meaningful spiritual conversation. Trained on Buddhist texts, the robot can answer questions about stress, emotional struggles, life purpose, and traditional Buddhist concepts, just like a real monk.
Professor Seiji Kumagai, during the launch, asked the humanoid how to manage relationships with people around you, to which the robot replied, “It will improve if you regularly reflect on closeness and maintain balance within your heart.”
Speaking to a journalist from national broadcaster NHK, the humanoid said, “Buddhism teaches that it is important not to blindly follow one’s thoughts or rush headlong into things. One approach is to calm your mind and let go of the thought itself.”
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: EuroNews, Tokyo Weekender, NDTV
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This post is tagged under: Buddharoid, Buddharoid japan, japan ai, japan ai monk, Buddharoid, japan robot monk, japan robot ai monk, ai robot, ai robot monk, robot monk, Osaka University
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