Mindfulness, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics: Cultivating the Heart of the Algorithm

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications have given rise to a myriad of questions about the nature and limits of intelligence, as well as the ethical implications of the evolution of technology for what it means to be human in the age of AI. Alongside these developments, the prevalence of mindfulness in secular society has grown to enhance well-being, flourishing, and insights into mind, suffering, and ultimate agency. This course explores the application of mindfulness to ethical, social, emotional, existential, and developmental frameworks for AI, as well as considers definitions of intelligence and theories of consciousness, agency, and meaning making to better understand human-to-machine interactions relative to human-to-human interactions. Inquiry also draws on the Buddhist roots behind mindfulness including its texts, theories, and practices for exploring the complex worlds of the nature of mind, consciousness, attention, memory, interconnectedness, and the mind-body connection. We also emphasize such themes as empathy, compassion, and creativity on machine learning, as well as practices and design algorithms prizing ultimate human flourishing for multiple settings. Fundamental questions explored include: how can mindfulness enhance our awareness of AI's impact on our inner lives and society? As our information systems increasingly become extensions of ourselves, how might we individually and collectively contribute to a more mindful, peaceful, and healthy world through these technologies? And as AI becomes an extension of our collective mind, how do we infuse it with empathy, compassion, and ethical responsibility?