Pepper the robot is now performing Buddhist funeral ceremonies. At the Life Ending Industry Expo in Tokyo, the robot could be seen clothed in religious robes and chanting sutras in a computerized voice while tapping a drum. They’re taking our Gods! And our jobs.
Nissei Eco Co. wrote the chanting software for Pepper, and they believe the robot could play a huge role in funeral ceremonies when priests aren’t available, and for a lower price too. So there goes the priest business. A human priest costs around 240,000 yen ($2,200) per funeral, but Pepper is just 50,000 yen ($450).
However, Pepper is missing one key factor. Buddhist priest Tetsugi Matsuo said he wanted to see if Pepper could bring enough heart to the role, because for him, “the heart is the foundation of religion”. So far Pepper has not been hired for a ceremony, but I bet someone hires it soon. Are there any jobs left to take now?
Source Engadget
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