This Goddess can actually talk to worshippers, has an Identity card, and addresses their concerns; temple is located at...
Artificial Intelligence has changed our lives in ways we could not have imagined. Every day, we see innovations and possibilities powered by AI. These days, AI is transforming industries such as healthcare through evolving diagnostics, personalized treatment plans, and even drug discovery. Not only healthcare, but the entertainment sector is also witnessing changes due to AI. But what if we tell you that there is a temple in Malaysia that has introduced the world's first AI-powered Mazu statue, letting worshippers connect with a digital version of the sea goddess.
According to the Times of India(TOI) report, the technology-driven Mazu statue in Malaysia's Tianhou Temple allows worshippers to interact with the goddess in a digital form. By blending ancient spirituality with modern innovation, Malaysia's Tianhou Temple is creating a unique way for people to connect with their faith.
Developed by the tech company Aimazin, the AI Mazu enhances the worship experience by making it more interactive, according to a report from the South China Morning Post. Instead of merely admiring a statue, worshippers can now ask questions, receive fortune readings, and get personalized advice—all powered by artificial intelligence. This Goddess can actually talk to worshippers, has an Identity card, and addresses their concerns; temple is located at…
But how does it perform its tasks? Well, it begins with the digital version of Mazu displayed on a screen, allowing worshippers to interact with her in real-time. The AI is programmed to respond to a variety of requests, whether it's asking for blessings, seeking life advice, or looking for help with personal challenges. It provides comforting and thoughtful answers, reflecting the nurturing spirit of the goddess.
According to the South China Morning Post, the AI Mazu is depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in traditional Chinese attire, with features that resemble a more rounded version of Chinese actress Liu Yifei. This portrayal adds a relatable and comforting human touch to the digital goddess, making her more approachable for worshippers. Worshippers are encouraged to seek blessings from the AI Mazu, ask her to interpret the fortune sticks they draw at the temple, and get answers to their personal questions and doubts.
During a live demonstration, Shin Kong, the founder of the company behind the project, interacted with AI Mazu by asking whether she would be fortunate enough to receive an unexpected windfall — referred to as pian cai yun in Mandarin, reported South China Morning Post.
According to the South China Morning Post report, AI Mazu, speaking in a calm and gentle voice, tells the worshipper that she would have better luck with an unexpected fortune if she stays at home.
In another interaction, an influencer shared with AI Mazu that she was having trouble sleeping at night and asked for guidance. Gently addressing her as 'my child,' AI Mazu recommended drinking warm water before bed to help her relax and sleep better.
The AI Mazu was unveiled just before the 1,065th birthday of the sea goddess, which was celebrated on April 20 this year. Mazu was originally born as a mortal named Lin Mo in the year 960 on Meizhou Island in Putian, located in China's southeastern Fujian province.
Mazu is worshipped by Chinese communities across the world, especially in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. To ensure that people outside her birthplace can receive her blessings, statues of Mazu from Meizhou Island are sometimes transported by train or plane to other cities in China and abroad. The report further mentioned that Mazu even has her own identity card and number, listing her real name, birthplace, and birth date — all to make her travels smoother and more official.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
14 minutes ago
- News18
EV Giants Clash In China, BYD Faces Backlash Over Emissions And Price Wars
Last Updated: BYD recently dropped the price of its cheapest model to just 55,800 yuan (£6,100), causing a major stir in the market. A long-running dispute between China's electric vehicle (EV) giants has flared up again. The rivalry between BYD and Great Wall Motor over emissions standards has taken a fresh turn, with Geely now stepping into the fight. This all began in 2023, when Great Wall reported BYD to Chinese regulators. The claim? That BYD's top-selling hybrid models—Qin Plus and Song Plus—did not meet China's emissions standards, as per Reuters. Last month, the issue resurfaced when Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall, raised new concerns about the ongoing EV price war and confirmed the emissions probe was still under review. BYD Hits Back BYD responded strongly, dismissing Wei's remarks as 'alarmist." However, the company did not directly address the emissions accusations this time. Back in 2023, BYD had said its vehicles fully complied with the rules. Now, Geely's Vice President, Victor Yang, has added fuel to the fire. At a recent auto conference in Chongqing, Yang stated that Geely's own tests showed the same emission issues. He even praised Wei Jianjun, calling him a 'genuine, honest person" and the industry's 'whistleblower." The Fuel Tank Controversy The main concern lies in BYD's use of non-pressurised fuel tanks in the two hybrid models. These tanks allow fuel to evaporate faster than pressurised ones, raising emission worries. BYD's Li Yunfei, General Manager of Branding and PR, responded on Weibo, stating that the tanks used from 2021 to 2023 followed all rules at the time. However, he admitted they were later changed due to customer complaints. His post was later deleted, and BYD gave no comment on why it was removed. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which is part of the emissions investigation, has not commented yet. Meanwhile, Great Wall and Geely have also remained quiet, with Geely pointing only to Yang's public speech as its official stance. A Market Under Pressure This public clash comes at a tense time for China's EV market. BYD has been slashing prices to boost sales—its cheapest model now starts at just 55,800 yuan (£6,100). These price cuts have sparked a wider auto stock sell-off, making investors and other automakers uneasy. In response, MIIT reportedly called a closed-door meeting with carmakers last week, asking them to stop the aggressive pricing. Car dealers have also requested automakers to stop pushing unsold stock onto them. First Published: June 10, 2025, 09:10 IST
Mint
15 minutes ago
- Mint
Huawei Founder Waves Off US Chip Curbs While Trade Talks Proceed
Huawei Technologies Co. founder Ren Zhengfei dismissed the impact of US export restrictions on China in a front-page People's Daily article, wading into one of the key topics dogging Washington-Beijing trade negotiations. Ren, one of the country's most recognizable business figures, told the Communist Party's official newspaper he wasn't worried about Washington's efforts to cut off the flow of US technology to China's chip sector. Domestic firms could resort to means such as chip packaging or stacking to achieve results similar to that from advanced semiconductor technology. The Huawei founder also expressed confidence in the interview that China can make breakthroughs in AI and software, particularly in an increasingly open-source environment. The US has put restrictions on chip design programs for Chinese firms, though Washington could also remove those pending the outcome of talks. The prominently placed article appears timed to coincide with a second day of sensitive negotiations between the US and China, which are seeking to ease tensions over shipments of technology and rare earth elements. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's presence at the talks underscore the importance that export controls are playing in these discussions. Lutnick has said China isn't capable of producing high volumes of sophisticated semiconductors, a sign American export controls are limiting its progress. Nvidia CEO Warns That Chinese AI Rivals Are Now 'Formidable' Semiconductor packaging or stacking refers to the techniques of bundling chips together to make them more powerful - Huawei has been relying on this method to make its most powerful AI chips at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., aiming to develop silicon as sophisticated as what Nvidia Corp. offers. Huawei has in past years evolved from a telecom gear and smartphone maker into one of China's national tech champions, making advances in semiconductors, EVs and AI. It's also one of Washington's biggest targets, given persistent accusations of its ties to Beijing. The company has repeatedly stressed it's an employee-run company. Ren, a former People's Liberation Army officer, has emerged as one of the tech sector's most prominent voices since the first Trump administration added the company to the so-called Entity List. That move significantly curtailed Huawei's access to US technologies, initially walloped the business and sped its exit from several major markets. But Huawei has since regained market share in smartphones, developed a more advanced process than the US thought possible, and is now making inroads into the AI and EV software markets. In May, Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said that Chinese AI rivals are filling the void left by the departure of US companies from that market, and their technology is becoming more powerful.
Mint
33 minutes ago
- Mint
Mint Primer: Can govt aid EVs amid rare earth magnet crunch?
Disruptions in rare earth magnets supply chains, controlled by China, have exposed the risks in being import-dependent for key industrial components. In particular, magnets supply constraints could impact electric vehicle (EV) production. Mint explains: What's the rare earth magnet issue? Rare earth magnets are powerful magnets made from alloys of 17 different rare earth elements, primarily neodymium or samarium. They are used in applications like automotive manufacturing, phones, missiles and electronics. Over the last three decades, China has developed expertise in this and today makes 90% of the world's rare earth magnets. From April this year, China started placing curbs on exports of the magnets following its trade tariff face-off with the US, forcing all importers to apply for licences. The process takes 60 days, without any guarantee of approval of licence. Also read: China's rare earth exports jump ahead of US trade negotiations Why is the automobile industry worried? One of the most important uses of rare earth. magnets is in powering electric vehicles. These vehicles get power from the battery. This power goes to a coil of wire (a motor) with special rare earth magnets. The magnets help spin the coil. The spinning coil is connected to an axle, which turns the wheels of the car, making it move. Rare earth magnets play an important role in this process. The magnets also run key car components such as automatic transmission and the power steering system. EVs are more vulnerable since they use 3-5 kg of such magnets while traditional cars do with around 100 grams. Are these magnets the only challenge to automakers? No. If today's challenge is rare earth magnets, tomorrow it could be lithium or cobalt, critical for EVs again. China controls over 65% of global lithium refining. In their 2024-25 annual report, Tata Motors and JLR highlighted risks to the EV business, including potential production delays, as a result of China's stranglehold over the EV supply chain. Also read: Trump says Xi agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals. Why are rare earths important for Chinese economy? So, what can the Indian industry do? The industry will hope diplomatic efforts will resolve the supply problems. State-owned IREL, which caters to defence, could step up to make rare earth magnets commercially. A Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for domestic manufacturing will help too. Nonetheless, it could take several years to build local supply chains for rare earth magnets and PLI may not solve the problem right away. When existing magnet inventories get exhausted, EV motor production could be at risk, noted investment bank Jefferies. In the long term, what are India's options? The rare earth magnet supply disruption is a stark reminder of the urgent need to reduce reliance on imported critical components—especially amid tariff conflicts and geopolitical uncertainties. An aggressive EV push without a stable local ecosystem exposes the industry to risks. Until domestic production of essential materials is established, integrating hybrid technologies, biofuels, CNG/LNG and hydrogen is a more resilient approach, said experts. Over-dependence on China is a vulnerability to be addressed. Also read: China's rare earth export curbs are India's wake-up call
