On February 24, 2026, a research group including Kyoto University announced the development of "Buddharoid," a humanoid robot equipped with Buddhist AI (artificial intelligence) that provides various advice based on the teachings of Buddha and addresses concerns. The robot is capable of voice communication and has learned gestures such as joining its hands together in prayer. It is expected that in the future, it will be able to assist with or even perform some of the religious rituals traditionally performed by monks.