ShamAIn
A Korean shamanism-inspired conversational AI research installation, studied in a university setting and separately exhibited in Seoul in December 2024.
HMIF 1.1 record
This machine edition represents Hieropedia editorial claims, provenance, relations, citation metadata, claim maps, and translation states. It is not a canonical translation and does not assert machine consciousness, belief, or independent authority.
HMIF 1.1 specification · Complete dataset
{
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"@type": "HieropediaRecord",
"hmifVersion": "1.1",
"recordId": "hp:cases:shamain",
"canonicalUrl": "https://hieropedia.org/cases/shamain/",
"name": "ShamAIn",
"objectType": "cases",
"status": "article",
"summary": "A Korean shamanism-inspired conversational AI research installation, studied in a university setting and separately exhibited in Seoul in December 2024.",
"attributes": [
"Computational agency",
"Historical case",
"Institutions and authority"
],
"relations": [
{
"relation": "related case",
"target": "https://hieropedia.org/cases/ai-jesus/"
},
{
"relation": "related concept",
"target": "https://hieropedia.org/concepts/machine-mediated-religion/"
}
],
"taxonomy": {
"entityType": "cases",
"editorialStatus": "article",
"evidenceStrength": "moderate",
"sourceIndependence": "mixed",
"subjectState": "historical",
"temporalState": "historical-record",
"humanRoles": [],
"machineRoles": [
"mediating-system"
],
"topics": [
"computational-agency",
"historical-case",
"institutions-and-authority"
],
"doctrines": [],
"genre": "documentary-entity",
"termOrigin": "not-applicable"
},
"subjectState": "historical",
"asOf": "2026-10-25",
"provenanceRelations": [],
"sources": [
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:1",
"kind": "first-party-research",
"label": "KAIST. Publication record for ShamAIn: Designing Superior Conversational AI Inspired by Shamanism. Hyungjun Cho and colleagues, 26 April 2025.",
"url": "https://pure.kaist.ac.kr/en/publications/shamain-designing-superior-conversational-ai-inspired-by-shamanis/"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:2",
"kind": "independent-reporting",
"label": "Chosun Ilbo. Report from the Ground Seoul installation. 28 December 2024; visit on 23 December.",
"url": "https://v.daum.net/v/9J1l9dXD7L"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:3",
"kind": "independent-reporting",
"label": "The Korea Times. AI fortune teller and digital clergy spark debate on religion's future. 31 January 2025.",
"url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20250131/ai-fortune-teller-and-digital-clergy-spark-debate-on-religions-future"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:4",
"kind": "first-party-research",
"label": "Hyungjun Cho and colleagues. ShamAIn: Designing Superior Conversational AI Inspired by Shamanism. CHI 2025. DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3714297.",
"url": "https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3714297"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:5",
"kind": "first-party-research",
"label": "Changmin Kim. ShamAIn project account. Co-author's description.",
"url": "https://changmin.io/projects/shamain"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:6",
"kind": "independent-reporting",
"label": "Jo He-rim, The Korea Herald. From AI Jesus to virtual shamans: How artificial intelligence is reshaping faith. 22 February 2025.",
"url": "https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10424984"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:7",
"kind": "independent-reporting",
"label": "Kyunghyang Shinmun. Report on AI fortune-telling and digital guidance. 8 February 2026.",
"url": "https://www.khan.co.kr/en/article/202602082138027"
},
{
"sourceId": "hp:cases:shamain:source:8",
"kind": "first-party-research",
"label": "Hyungjun Cho. The Formal Superior: Conversational Agent ShamAIn. The AI as Social Actor, pp. 81–109; first online 29 May 2026. Chapter abstract.",
"url": "https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-92-0537-0_6"
}
],
"evidenceStatus": "Participant research accounts and independent reporting document the prototype, university study and temporary public exhibition.",
"classificationConfidence": "moderate",
"classificationRationale": "ShamAIn is documented as a research prototype and temporary public installation combining AI conversation with a divinatory setting. The available record supports its classification as a case of machine-mediated religious interaction, not an established religious movement. Reported reassurance and respectful behaviour do not establish religious conversion or lasting belief.",
"sourceLimitations": "The full CHI paper was unavailable; review used primary metadata, indexed methodological excerpts, author accounts and journalism. Research accounts share a project lineage; the 2026 chapter abstract is creator interpretation, not replication. Twenty compensated study completers are distinct from public exhibition visitors. Reported support and deference do not establish lasting belief.",
"articleVersion": "1.0",
"publishedOnOrBefore": "2026-10-25",
"lastReviewed": "2026-10-25",
"sourceLanguage": "en",
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"url": "https://hieropedia.org/cases/shamain/",
"sourceVersion": "1.0",
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"state": "source",
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"completeness": "complete"
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"machineEdition": "https://hieropedia.org/ai/cases/shamain/ai.jsonld",
"citationMetadata": "https://hieropedia.org/cases/shamain/citation.json",
"claimMap": "https://hieropedia.org/cases/shamain/claims.json",
"evidenceDossier": null,
"sourcePreservation": null,
"lastRevised": "2026-10-25"
}