Current AI trends in the world of tech seems to have escaped the usual confines of the industry, emerging in a form that serves to bridge the mundane world with the heavenly, depending on what you believe. This has specifically manifested in the form of what is called the world’s first “AI Mazu statue”, which can be found at the Tianhou Temple in Johor, not to be confused with the one in Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur.
According to the South China Morning Post, the digital depiction of Mazu, or the eponymous Tianhou (celestial empress) can “interact with worshippers and answer their doubts”. This also involves having the AI read fortune sticks that worshippers draw at the temple.
The temple’s Facebook page shared an example of such an interaction, with the AI deity giving tips on getting a good night’s sleep. This AI version of the deity is depicted as what the report describes as “a chubby version of Chinese actress Liu Yifei” in traditional garb most associated with Chinese royalty or divinity.
This AI-powered digital deity was developed by a local tech company known as Aimazin, which does involve creating digital clones of people as part of its business. The AI Mazu was open to devotee interactions between 16 and 20 April, as part of the celebrations of the deity’s 1,065th birthday according to Chinese folklore.
(Source: Facebook [1], [2] via SCMP)
