AI scientist and Buddhist teacher Dr. Nikki Mirghafori explores the mystery of consciousness, the ethics (and limits) of AI, and the irreplaceable power of human connection.

This time on the CSM Podcast, Dr. Nikki & David discuss:

• Cooling the fires of greed, hate, and delusion
• Cessation within the Theravada tradition of Buddhism
• “Visiting” rather than dwelling on any particular experience
• Artificial intelligence and the ways it lacks nuance
• Ethical considerations in using AI for dharma teachings
• Mr. Potato Head and our tendency to anthropomorphize inanimate things
• How science still doesn’t fully understand consciousness and the book The Blind Spot
• Repairing our own consciousness and becoming a vehicle of service for all beings
• A Buddhist book recommendation from Dr. Nikki: What The Buddha Thought
• Accessing the full range of teachings across traditions

““Bringing it back to A.I. and consciousness, it’s a big question mark; it’s too naive to make predictions or assumptions one way or the other. We don’t even know what this thing is. This thing being alive, having consciousness. How can we describe it to this other thing that, as a black box, is spewing out patterns? I am open to being surprised, but conservative.”

About Dr. Nikki Mirghafori

Dr. Nikki Mirghafori is an Artificial Intelligence scientist and an internationally recognized Buddhist teacher. She serves as a Stewarding Teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, where she is also on the Board of Directors, and a Dharma Teacher at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. She teaches with clarity and warmth on topics ranging from mindful leadership to cultivating kindness, with a rare expertise on mindfulness of death. Dr. Mirghafori is widely published in AI, has led international research collaborations as a Berkeley academic, and advised technology startups. She is of Persian heritage, an advocate for wisdom and compassion in daily life, as well as ethical AI in our zeitgeist. Learn more and connect via her website here.