About This Project
The Buddhism and AI Initiative aims to build bridges among Buddhist communities, technologists, and contemplative researchers worldwide to help shape the future of artificial intelligence.
Wang Zi-Won, Mechanical Avalokiteśvara, 2011 sculpture
Why
Artificial intelligence marks a new evolutionary turning point for humanity. We believe Buddhism can help shape this evolution for the better.
Buddhism’s Impact on AI: Buddhism's 2500 years of studying the mind have resulted in rich insights into the nature of mind, wisdom, and ethics. These insights can help inform new technical research directions, and offer alternatives for evaluating the promises and perils of AI.
AI’s Impact on Buddhism: From translation software for rare Buddhist languages like Pali and Tibetan, to chatbot meditation teachers, AI is changing the way Buddhists study, practice, and build community.
As AI experts consider futures as radical as technologically-enabled utopias, catastrophic extinction risk, and digital consciousness, the future of AI and Buddhism is not merely a conversation about technology; it’s an opportunity to intentionally influence AI development in ways that nurture wisdom, compassion, and ecological interdependence.
Why
Artificial intelligence marks a new evolutionary turning point for humanity. We believe Buddhism can help shape this evolution for the better.
Buddhism’s Impact on AI: Buddhism's 2500 years of studying the mind have resulted in rich insights into the nature of mind, wisdom, and ethics. These insights can help inform new technical research directions, and offer alternatives for evaluating the promises and perils of AI.
AI’s Impact on Buddhism: From translation software for rare Buddhist languages like Pali and Tibetan, to chatbot meditation teachers, AI is changing the way Buddhists study, practice, and build community.
As AI experts consider futures as radical as technologically-enabled utopias, catastrophic extinction risk, and digital consciousness, the future of AI and Buddhism is not merely a conversation about technology; it’s an opportunity to intentionally influence AI development in ways that nurture wisdom, compassion, and ecological interdependence.
Why
Artificial intelligence marks a new evolutionary turning point for humanity. We believe Buddhism can help shape this evolution for the better.
Buddhism’s Impact on AI: Buddhism's 2500 years of studying the mind have resulted in rich insights into the nature of mind, wisdom, and ethics. These insights can help inform new technical research directions, and offer alternatives for evaluating the promises and perils of AI.
AI’s Impact on Buddhism: From translation software for rare Buddhist languages like Pali and Tibetan, to chatbot meditation teachers, AI is changing the way Buddhists study, practice, and build community.
As AI experts consider futures as radical as technologically-enabled utopias, catastrophic extinction risk, and digital consciousness, the future of AI and Buddhism is not merely a conversation about technology; it’s an opportunity to intentionally influence AI development in ways that nurture wisdom, compassion, and ecological interdependence.
How
Our work unfolds in three stages:
Networking: We are speaking with and building a map of individuals and organizations doing relevant work.
Buddhist Knowledge Infrastructure
Awakening and Alignment Tech
Thought Leadership
Operations and Field-Building
AI Governance and Policy
Spiritual Care and Teaching
Future Vision: In parallel, we are exploring where this field is going–and where could it go, with wise guidance? In Phase II we will collaborate with key members of our network to envision a positive future and how to get there.
Action: Phase III aims to catalyze funding and support for projects that contribute to this future vision. At present, we expect this to include efforts from supporting Buddhist chaplaincy, to technical projects inspired by Buddhist wisdom.
How
Our work unfolds in three stages:
Networking: We are speaking with and building a map of individuals and organizations doing relevant work.
Buddhist Knowledge Infrastructure
Awakening and Alignment Tech
Thought Leadership
Operations and Field-Building
AI Governance and Policy
Spiritual Care and Teaching
Future Vision: In parallel, we are exploring where this field is going–and where could it go, with wise guidance? In Phase II we will collaborate with key members of our network to envision a positive future and how to get there.
Action: Phase III aims to catalyze funding and support for projects that contribute to this future vision. At present, we expect this to include efforts from supporting Buddhist chaplaincy, to technical projects inspired by Buddhist wisdom.
How
Our work unfolds in three stages:
Networking: We are speaking with and building a map of individuals and organizations doing relevant work.
Buddhist Knowledge Infrastructure
Awakening and Alignment Tech
Thought Leadership
Operations and Field-Building
AI Governance and Policy
Spiritual Care and Teaching
Future Vision: In parallel, we are exploring where this field is going–and where could it go, with wise guidance? In Phase II we will collaborate with key members of our network to envision a positive future and how to get there.
Action: Phase III aims to catalyze funding and support for projects that contribute to this future vision. At present, we expect this to include efforts from supporting Buddhist chaplaincy, to technical projects inspired by Buddhist wisdom.
Who
Our organization currently consists of five core team members with experience spanning academia, startups, nonprofit leadership, and chaplaincy:
Chris Scammell was previously COO of Conjecture, an AI safety company that formed out of the open-source collective EleutherAI, known for training the first open-source LLMs. Chris has been studying Buddhism since 2016, and has spent over four years living in monasteries between London, Canada, and India.
Alex Sarkissian is a Buddhist chaplain, meditation teacher, and social entrepreneur passionate about contemplative practice as a pathway toward individual and collective transformation in the age of AI. He holds a Master of Divinity in Buddhism from Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary, where his thesis assessed the potential impact of AI on the cultivation of virtue and human flourishing. Alex was previously a founder, CMO, and operator at various early-stage startups and a strategy and innovation consultant at Deloitte.
Peter D. Hershock, Ph.D, is an intercultural philosopher who reflects on contemporary issues of global concern. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, he is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, where he has been the recipient of significant grants, including from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Academy for Korean Studies, and the Freeman Foundation. He is the author of more than fifty peer-reviewed papers and eight books, including Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021) and Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023).
Ryan Stagg is a nonprofit leader with ten years of experience driving strategic growth in mission-driven organizations. Drawing on his MA in Contemplative Religious Studies, he has served as Director of Digital Strategy at the Mind & Life Institute and as Director of Business Development at Drala Mountain Center. In both roles, he has exponentially expanded communication platforms, significantly increased revenue through innovative initiatives, and addressed critical organizational challenges. Known for his collaborative spirit and strategic vision, Ryan builds programs and partnerships that bring ideas to life and amplify impact.
Austin Pick holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired liberal arts college and the birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement, where he was an integral member of university administration from 2014-2024, establishing Naropa Extended Campus and the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. He served as contributing editor of a travel guide entitled Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha's Land (Pariyatti Press, 2009), and his writing has appeared in a variety of journals and magazines.
Who
Our organization currently consists of five core team members with experience spanning academia, startups, nonprofit leadership, and chaplaincy:
Chris Scammell was previously COO of Conjecture, an AI safety company that formed out of the open-source collective EleutherAI, known for training the first open-source LLMs. Chris has been studying Buddhism since 2016, and has spent over four years living in monasteries between London, Canada, and India.
Alex Sarkissian is a Buddhist chaplain, meditation teacher, and social entrepreneur passionate about contemplative practice as a pathway toward individual and collective transformation in the age of AI. He holds a Master of Divinity in Buddhism from Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary, where his thesis assessed the potential impact of AI on the cultivation of virtue and human flourishing. Alex was previously a founder, CMO, and operator at various early-stage startups and a strategy and innovation consultant at Deloitte.
Peter D. Hershock, Ph.D, is an intercultural philosopher who reflects on contemporary issues of global concern. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, he is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, where he has been the recipient of significant grants, including from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Academy for Korean Studies, and the Freeman Foundation. He is the author of more than fifty peer-reviewed papers and eight books, including Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021) and Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023).
Ryan Stagg is a nonprofit leader with ten years of experience driving strategic growth in mission-driven organizations. Drawing on his MA in Contemplative Religious Studies, he has served as Director of Digital Strategy at the Mind & Life Institute and as Director of Business Development at Drala Mountain Center. In both roles, he has exponentially expanded communication platforms, significantly increased revenue through innovative initiatives, and addressed critical organizational challenges. Known for his collaborative spirit and strategic vision, Ryan builds programs and partnerships that bring ideas to life and amplify impact.
Austin Pick holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired liberal arts college and the birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement, where he was an integral member of university administration from 2014-2024, establishing Naropa Extended Campus and the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. He served as contributing editor of a travel guide entitled Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha's Land (Pariyatti Press, 2009), and his writing has appeared in a variety of journals and magazines.
Who
Our organization currently consists of five core team members with experience spanning academia, startups, nonprofit leadership, and chaplaincy:
Chris Scammell was previously COO of Conjecture, an AI safety company that formed out of the open-source collective EleutherAI, known for training the first open-source LLMs. Chris has been studying Buddhism since 2016, and has spent over four years living in monasteries between London, Canada, and India.
Alex Sarkissian is a Buddhist chaplain, meditation teacher, and social entrepreneur passionate about contemplative practice as a pathway toward individual and collective transformation in the age of AI. He holds a Master of Divinity in Buddhism from Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary, where his thesis assessed the potential impact of AI on the cultivation of virtue and human flourishing. Alex was previously a founder, CMO, and operator at various early-stage startups and a strategy and innovation consultant at Deloitte.
Peter D. Hershock, Ph.D, is an intercultural philosopher who reflects on contemporary issues of global concern. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, he is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, where he has been the recipient of significant grants, including from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Academy for Korean Studies, and the Freeman Foundation. He is the author of more than fifty peer-reviewed papers and eight books, including Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021) and Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023).
Ryan Stagg is a nonprofit leader with ten years of experience driving strategic growth in mission-driven organizations. Drawing on his MA in Contemplative Religious Studies, he has served as Director of Digital Strategy at the Mind & Life Institute and as Director of Business Development at Drala Mountain Center. In both roles, he has exponentially expanded communication platforms, significantly increased revenue through innovative initiatives, and addressed critical organizational challenges. Known for his collaborative spirit and strategic vision, Ryan builds programs and partnerships that bring ideas to life and amplify impact.
Austin Pick holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired liberal arts college and the birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement, where he was an integral member of university administration from 2014-2024, establishing Naropa Extended Campus and the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. He served as contributing editor of a travel guide entitled Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha's Land (Pariyatti Press, 2009), and his writing has appeared in a variety of journals and magazines.
AI is raising deep questions that Buddhism has been exploring for millennia.
Mindstream Project Ltd © 2025.
AI is raising deep questions that Buddhism has been exploring for millennia.
Mindstream Project Ltd © 2025.