Disruptive technologies often rush in where the better angels of reasoning fear to tread. A humanoid robot has been ordained as a monk in a Korean Buddhist temple. The 1.3-metre-tall machine with disproportionately large hands even received a dharma name, Gabi. Using robots for religion is not new—they have delivered sermons and conducted services in Japan and Germany, too. What’s interesting in Gabi’s case is an upgraded set of precepts it was given by the Buddhist order while being ordained. In what was reminiscent of author Isaac Asimov’s laws of robotics, Gabi was asked to never harm humans and other robots. A remarkable addition was the instruction to save energy and not overcharge. Now that’s an order all smart appliance makers should be asked to follow.