Buddhism & AI
Field Framework

This framework is an attempt to understand the rapidly evolving landscape where Buddhist perspectives intersect with artificial intelligence.

Based on secondary research and over 100 conversations with stakeholders from a wide variety of Buddhist institutions, AI and technology organizations, and academic centers, we've identified six intersecting domains:

While these domains are implicitly interconnected, they are mostly operating in silos with limited direct engagement with each other.


Below is a brief overview of each domain, including subdomains, along with representative organizations and individuals. These representatives fall within a wide range of Buddhist engagement—some are explicitly Buddhist while others are Buddhist-informed and operating in secular contexts.


This framework reveals the extent of activity already underway as well as pathways for deeper engagement.

  1. Buddhist Knowledge Infrastucture

Tools and pipelines that preserve, translate, and make traditional Buddhist knowledge discoverable. Modern AI-enabled projects expand on efforts to digitize Buddhist texts and teachings that began a generation ago, and are often closely associated with institutional Buddhist organizations.

1a. Digitization and Data - pipelines from source material to AI-usable structured datasets

  • Buddhist Digital Resource Center | Jann Ronis | Digitizing Tibetan manuscripts with OCR

  • MonlamAI | Geshe Monlam | Collecting Tibetan datasets for language preservation

  • OpenPecha  | Nangwang Trinley | Open-sourcing Buddhist datasets, planning for apps

1b. Translation - organizations using AI tools to translate texts

  • 84000 | Andreas Doctor | Leading Tibetan to English translation org, interested in AI alignment

  • Kumarajiva  | Jennifer Yo | Chinese-language translation, working with AI tools and technologists

  • Khentsye Vision | Dolma Gunther  | Translation for Khentsye lineage - in touch with Google teams

  • SuttaCentral | Bhante Sujato | Archiving Buddhist Suttas, working with Dharmamitra for translation

  • FGS Buddhist Dictionary | Ven. Zhi Yue | Chinese translations library, currently being digitized

1c. Language Technologies - building machine learning tools for translation and speech-to-speech pipelines

  • DharmaMitra | Sebastian Nehrdich, Kurt Kuertzger | Current SOTA Buddhist-language AI translation

  • MLotsawa | Jake Moore | Independent contributor to Tibetan ML ecosystem, speech-to-speech

  • Nalanda Project | Nico Sarian | Building in-house tools to translate Buddhist tengyur

1d. Applications - text and semantic search, chatbots, teacher-trained agents

  • DharmaNexus | Sebastian Nehrdich | ML tool for multilingual intertextual Buddhist research

  • Awakin.ai | Nipun Mehta | AI tools to explore scripture and dharma teachings

  • BuddhaBot | Kumagai Seiji | Chatbot trained on early Buddhist scriptures, joint Bhutan-Japan effort

  • RoshiBot | Jiryu Rutschman-Byler | Widely-known chatbot trained on Suzuki Roshi’s teachings

  • Emi Jido | Jundo Cohen, Jeanne Lim | Experimental, formally ordained AI nun

  1. Technology for Practice and Alignment

Building practical systems that scaffold meditative training. In parallel, turning Buddhist principles into operational AI alignment targets. Much of this work is Buddhist-informed but currently based in secular contexts.

2a. Computational Neuroscience and Neurophenomenology - formal models of consciousness, meditative states, and awakening; creating a basis for future AI training or more effective “awakening technology”

  • MPE Project | Thomas Metzinger, Heleen Slagter | Computational “minimal model” of consciousness

  • Meditation Research Center | Matthew Sacchet | Studying meditation, using TDCS neuromodulation

  • Monash Center | Jakob Howhy, Lars Sandved-Smith | Contemplative lab modeling consciousness

  • Sussex Center | Anil Seth | Computational modeling of consciousness, active inference framework

  • Lyon Center | Antoine Lutz | Modeling attention and meditative states

  • CA Research Center | Adam Goldstein | In-construction computational lab and coworking space

2b. Alignment Technology  - attempts to build ethical AI that are directly or partially inspired by Buddhism; some work builds off research in 2a.

  • Contemplative AI | Ruben Laukonnen, Shamil Chandaria | active-inference based Buddhist AI

  • Softmax | Adam Goldstein, Emmett Shear | “Cooperative AI” paradigm partially inspired by Buddhism

  • CSAS | Thomas Doctor | Developing new models of intelligence and training Bodhisattva AI

  • Cross Labs | Olaf Witkowski | Studying emergence and agency to build ethical AI, Buddhist-inspired

  • Monastic Academy | Soryu Forall | Meditation center dedicated to AI x-risk, with technical AI agenda

2c. Awakening Technology  - speculative work on using AI or neurotechnology to help meditators reach advanced stages of practice

  • SEMA Lab | Jay Sanguinetti, Shinzen Young | Using ultrasound to induce advanced meditative states

  • Jonas Mago | New optimization functions for AI to guide users through meditative experience

  • sens.ai | EEG/HR wearable meditation trainer with AI decoder

  • Muse | EEG wearable meditation trainer with AI decoder

  • IMBR | Mark McDonough | Citizen-science; EEG-feedback for guided meditation practice

  • Zendo Meditation | Commercial tDCS aimed at meditators

2d. AI-Supported Meditation - guidance, companions, personalization

  1. Scholarship, Philosophy & Science

A highly interdisciplinary knowledge engine that draws on Buddhist resources to expand conceptual frontiers around mind, ethics, and society, and to inform practice, design, and policy. Discourse on AI and Buddhism is emerging in close relationship to contemplative science and Buddhist modernism. It’s a horizontal layer that informs all other domains.

3a. Mind, Consciousness and Metaphysics

3b. Ethics and Moral Development

3c.  Self, Agency, Personhood

3d. Cognition, Attention, Affect

3e. Media Ecology and Culture

  1. Teaching & Community

The communal and existential dimension of Buddhism in response to AI. Rather than focusing on AI systems themselves, this domain is concerned with the felt experience of living through the intelligence revolution and its impact on identity, purpose, work, economy, and ecology. Equips people and communities to better understand the spiritual and social  implications of AI and orient wisely amid rapid change.

4a. Buddhist Teachers and Sanghas - actively communicating about AI

4b. Chaplaincy and Spiritual Caregiving

4c.  Education and Training Pathways - mindfulness-based interventions, clinician/coach training, community curricula for wise tech use and attentional hygiene

  1. Ecosystem & Capacity Building

The connective elements–convenings, philanthropy, and networks—that are supporting this emerging field and seeding collaborations across the other domains.

5a. Convenings and Conferences

5b. Funding and Philanthropy

5c.  Networks and Working Groups

  • Buddhism & AI Initiative | That’s us! | Nonprofit fieldbuilder on AI and Buddhism

  • Rigpa AI & Wisdom | Vanciane Rycroft, Jonathan Garner | Rigpa-affiliated AI discussion community

  • Wisdom 2.0 | Soren Gordhamer | Events focused on mindfulness and tech; Buddhist-sympathetic

  • Spirit Tech Collective | Network focused on the intersection of technology and wisdom; not Buddhist

5d.  Publishers and Media

  • Tricycle | Buddhist magazine, has published articles on Buddhism and AI

  • Lion’s Roar | Online Buddhist news site, has published articles on Buddhism and AI

  • BuddhistDoor Global | Online Buddhist news site with Tech & Science section, including AI coverage

  • Doug’s Dharma | Doug Smith | Videos on AI and Buddhism, small distribution

5d.  Miscellaneous

  • Dharma Data Center | Bill Duane | Scoping out a Nepal-based datacenter for spiritual tech projects

  • Still Ape | Jay Vidyarthi | Developer for many meditation and mindfulness-related apps

  1. Governance, Policy & Civic Leadership

Where Buddhist perspectives shape norms and rules—from national strategies to platform accountability. Links formal policy with moral leadership and grassroots action. A largely unrealized domain at present.

6a. Government & Intergovernmental Initiatives

  • Our research is actively underway, focused on Asian countries

  • Primarily active or planned gov’t supported partnerships with academic & civic institutions

  • Gelephu Mindfulness City | Bhutan | Announced 2023, a planned special administrative region intended to foster clean technology and AI innovation, bringing "Ancient Wisdom & Ethics" to AI

  • Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy | Sri Lanka | Asked by gov’t to carry out research on Buddhist philosophy and AI, and how to promote Buddhist teachings through AI

  • Mahamakut Buddhist University | Thailand | MoU with gov’t to focus on a Project for the Propagation of Buddhism in the Digital Society, to develop a Buddhist AI platform and information interface

6b. Multifaith Coalitions Including Buddhists

6c.  Engaged Buddhists / Civic Action - grassroots coalitions that could potentially build on efforts for climate/labor/social justice

AI is raising deep questions that Buddhism has been exploring for millennia.

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Mindstream Project Ltd © 2025.

AI is raising deep questions that Buddhism has been exploring for millennia.

Sign Up

hello@engagedbuddhists.ai

Mindstream Project Ltd © 2025.