Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now
(Reuters) — A Japanese company has introduced a new role for SoftBank’s humanoid robot “Pepper” — a Buddhist priest for hire at funerals.
Chanting sutras in a computerized voice while tapping a drum, the robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair — the Life Ending Industry Expo — in Tokyo.
Nissei Eco, an unlisted plastic molding maker, wrote the chanting software for “Pepper”, which was introduced by SoftBank Group in 2014.
With Japan’s population ageing and shrinking, many Buddhist priests receive less financial support from their communities, prompting some to find part-time work outside their temple duties, said Michio Inamura, Nissei’s executive adviser.
AI Scaling Hits Its Limits
Power caps, rising token costs, and inference delays are reshaping enterprise AI. Join our exclusive salon to discover how top teams are:
- Turning energy into a strategic advantage
- Architecting efficient inference for real throughput gains
- Unlocking competitive ROI with sustainable AI systems
Secure your spot to stay ahead: https://bit.ly/4mwGngO
The funeral robot could step in when a priest was not available, he said. It also cost less at 50,000 yen (about $450) per funeral compared to more than 240,000 yen ($2,200) for a human priest.
Buddhist priest Tetsugi Matsuo said he came to the expo to see if Pepper could “impart the ‘heart’ aspect to a machine because I believe that the ‘heart’ is the foundation of religion.”
The robot has not yet been hired for a funeral.
(Reporting by Megumi Lim, writing by Chehui Peh, editing by Malcolm Foster)
