What are we optimising for?

Jodi Bush's reflections from the recent Humanistic Buddhism & AI Conference in Taiwan

It’s been several days since I returned from the 11^th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism held at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple in Taiwan. The conference brought together over 400 scholars, technologists, Buddhist monastics, educators and observers from across the world to discuss and reflect upon the nexus between AI, religion and humanity and more specifically, to consider how Humanistic Buddhism should respond.

Monastic attendees heading to the 11th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism where the focus was on AI and how Buddhists should respond.

Across eight English and Chinese panels, delegates tackled the ethical, technological and practical implications presented by the rapid rise of AI. From navigating the impact of GriefTech on our relationship with mortality (Dr Maria Purino), to making the dhamma more accessible through increasingly rapid translation (see below), presentations tackled both ethical concerns and exciting innovations.

As an attendee, one question lingered after the conference closed. What exactly are we optimising for?

Artificial Intelligence comes with the promise of greater productivity, enhanced efficiency and accelerated innovation – which sounds wonderful on the surface but begs the question as to what we are hurtling towards.

In this increasingly technological, “progress can’t be stopped” world, most people are only too eager to hand over an increasing amount of their thinking and doing to machines. Why grow something when you can buy it at the supermarket? Why cook when you can order something pre-packaged? Why read a book when it can be read to you? Why write an email when ChatGPT can do it? Why hire graduates when an agent will take a fraction of the time?

Why study? Why labour? Why ponder? Why create?

The principal reason behind our desire to shortcut is undoubtedly time optimisation. Technology offers more efficiency, and more efficiency promises to free up valuable time. The inherent assumption being that this will make our lives better, happier, and more satisfying. As Dr Orlando Mandane, from the University of St Carlos Philippines, noted, however, what exactly does this “good life” offered by greater efficiency mean? As we speed up, expedite, and shortcut our way through work, interactions and activities, what are we giving up?

From a Buddhist perspective, particularly a mindfulness lens, it’s a critical question to ask ourselves. Where is this newly won time being channelled? Into deeper relationships? Spiritual growth? Learning? Wisdom? Creativity? Giving back? Wellbeing? Or is technology in fact robbing us of those very things, while simply turning up the speed on the treadmill? Any time left over is being poured back in the very same devices that are “liberating” us.

AI & Humanistic Buddhism

So how did those attending the Symposium suggest we respond to the opportunities and risks presented by AI? Like Engaged Buddhism, Humanistic Buddhism takes an action-based stance toward alleviating human suffering. It is underpinned by four key tenets - compassion, wisdom, practice and committed service - and it is through this lens that the panellists sought to explore the relationship between AI and Buddhism. Specifically, they examined how Buddhism can:

1. Inform AI alignment with human interests;

2. Equip humans to navigate and adapt to AI;

3. Leverage AI to spread dhamma teachings.

AI-Human Alignment

AI alignment efforts typically boil down to familiar (Western) value-based standards like not inciting hate, preventing harm, and placing restrictions on the use of personal data. As underscored by Dr Ruby Suazo and Dr Ranie Villaver, however, most of these principles centre on the individual and are fuelled by an undercurrent of “ethical egoism” (e.g. what serves me). They, as with other Buddhist scholars, noted the need for AI alignment to recognise the interconnected impacts of AI, something that Buddhism’s relational approach to morality helps bridge.

Firstly, rather than creating AI agents that align with individual value models, we should be exploring the option to develop AI that is capable of (emulating) such attributes as care and mindfulness. Secondly, instead of simply asking ourselves what AI can do (full stop), Buddhism encourages us to ask what it can do in the service of humanity. Specifically, how AI can be used to alleviate human suffering through supporting the cultivation of mindfulness, compassion and wisdom.

Human-AI Alignment

As the Symposium members underscored, we also need to be equipping ourselves to adapt to the shifting landscape AI is creating. Venerable Dr Juewei Shi, Head of Program at Nantien Institute Australia, specifically highlighted how Buddhist Education institutions are uniquely positioned to respond to the challenges AI poses to learning. By training students to become more self-reflexive and contemplative, Buddhist schools are equipping individuals with the skills to remain discerning in an increasingly ambiguous world.

Beyond that, both she and Han Chieh Chao, President of Fo Guang Shan University, highlighted how AI is being actively embraced by Buddhist institutions to enhance teaching, engagement and analytics. The message being: “We know that the future is going to be AI-driven, and we cannot be passive in our response.” Such practices can be expanded beyond Buddhist classrooms to the broader education system with the objective of guiding individuals on how to cultivate a more mindful relationship with AI.

Spreading the Dhamma

The conference also examined how AI can be utilised to improve access to and propagation of Buddhist teachings. One such opportunity is by facilitating access to Buddhist knowledge through large-scale initiatives such as the Dharmamitra, 84000 Project and the Fo Guang Dictionary (Dr Sebastian Nehrdich, Dr Thomas Doctor, Ven Miao Guang, Alex Amies, Dr Howie Lan and Ven Zhi Yue). Via AI, Buddhism is able to support rapid translation of sutras from classical languages into multiple other tongues.

Beyond this, as highlighted by Dr Olivier Arifon, there is also the ability to provide broader access to dhamma teaching and practices through applications such as AskBuddhaAI, offering a more accessible inroad to Buddhist teachings.

Dr. Venerable Juewei Shi spoke on how the role of Buddhist teachers will need to adapt to respond to the challenges posed by AI.

Final thoughts

As with other AI conferences, the 11^th Humanistic Buddhism Symposium highlighted both the incredible possibilities and high-stakes risks posed by Artificial Intelligence. What is already clear is that we cannot escape the fact that AI is both shaped by, and shaping, our moral landscape. It is, in many ways, a moral mirror or karmic accelerator – merely reflecting our own shortcomings and vagaries. As Professor Bee Scherer and Dr Partrick de Vries noted, we urgently need to ask ourselves what we want to use AI for, not simply what it can do. Within this, our focus should be less on optimising AI for optimisation’s sake but instead intentionally co-creating a future that serves this world as a whole.

Jodi Bush is a culture and strategy consultant with a focus on developing conscious leadership and is a volunteer with the Buddhism & AI Initiative. She is currently completing a Masters in Applied Buddhism at the Nantien Institute in Australia.