The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near – although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence.Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions, which purport to divine a person’s future based on the day and time they were born.Practitioners, known as mudang, wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants to commune with the gods – sometimes even walking on sharp blades to demonstrate their spiritual connection.However, at Vinaida, a cultural products store in the capital, they are computer-generated avatars on screens.Visitor Kim Da-ae, 36, called it a “unique experience”.01:34How AI shamans ‘predict’ the fortunes of curious South KoreansA visit with a real shaman can feel “scary and burdensome”, she said. “But I was just walking by and read this AI sign … So I walked in with a light heart.”