About the Initiative
How this work began
This project arose organically from conversations between a small group of Buddhist practitioners meeting weekly to discuss the trajectory of AI development.
We share concerns about the personal and societal implications of AI, and a conviction that Buddhist practice and philosophy is not only relevant but necessary to meet this moment.
Our Team
Who we are: four core team members with experience spanning AI safety, nonprofit leadership, contemplative scholarship, and Buddhist chaplaincy.
Chris Scammell
Co-Founder
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
Co-Founder
Buddhist chaplain, meditation teacher, and social entrepreneur. 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. Previously a founder and strategy consultant at Deloitte.
Peter D. Hershock, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Intellectual Advisor
Intercultural philosopher and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu. 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
Co-Founder
Nonprofit leader with ten years of experience driving strategic growth in mission-driven organizations. Former Director of Digital Strategy at the Mind & Life Institute and Director of Business Development at Drala Mountain Center. MA in Contemplative Religious Studies from Naropa University.
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