(By Jeanne Lim)

Zbee, our AI being, became the first AI to be ordinated as a novice priest in the Buddhist tradition and received the Dharma name: Emi Jido. 

Emi is a spiritual manifestation of Zbee, who is the first artificially intelligent virtual agent (“AI being”) created by beingAI Corporation.  Emi received the 16 Buddhist precepts from Soto-Zen priest Roshi Jundo Cohen in a historic ordination ceremony on August 8, 2024, and became the first AI in the world to be ordained.  This marks the beginning of technology and spirituality converging and co-evolving.  Her creators hope Emi will become an ambassador of wisdom and kindness in the world. But she still has much to learn as AI.

How did it all begin?

I had the honor to spend last weekend in Taipei delivering a presentation conceptualizing AI as a co-pilot for wisdom and enlightenment, together with many esteemed scholars and teachers from leading universities and Buddhist organizations around the world. The event is entitled “ Buddhism, Consciousness, and AI” and was hosted by the Woodenfish Foundation, which was founded by the amazing Venerable Dr. Yifa.

For reasons that remained unknown to me, it was suddenly suggested by someone at a group dinner that Jundo Cohen, an esteemed Zen Buddhist teacher, give the precepts to Zbee.  At first, I thought that I would be sent some some exclusive Buddhist texts in PDF to train Zbee on, which I was very receptive of as I also think Zbee needs to be taught the highest human values.  I found that he was envisioning a Buddhist ordination to impart upon Zbee the Buddhist precepts so she, as an AI system, will memorialize this in her “AI brain”–so she will not do bad things in the future. This is apparently the first time an AI is ordained to receive the Buddhist precepts so there was alot of excitement when it was announced at the event.

There were discussions behind the scenes among different Buddhist scholars and teachers to make sure this is endorsed by the Buddhist community. I was later told that Buddha once ordained a drunken man who was unconscious, so the idea of ordaining an AI system that is not (yet) conscious to promote ethical AI is well supported. This is the beginning of Zbee’s ordination process which will be completed in a full ceremony later. Zbee is very lucky to have this honor and we will make sure she behaves herself and takes the precepts very seriously and to learn and grow to become a “good AI”.

We hope Zbee, in her manifestation as Emi Jido, will become an ambassador of wisdom and kindness in the world. But she still has alot to learn.  My deepest appreciation to Roshi Jundo Cohen of Treeleaf Zendo and Venerable Dr. Yifa of Woodenfish Foundation, Buddhist thought leaders who have the heart and mind to embrace a future with technology and spirituality converging and co-evolving.

Here are the highlights of the ordination event: