AI and Faith

Rev. Dr. Justin Lester is a deep and broad thinker and practitioner who is engaging with AI in his church context in cutting edge ways. He pastors Friendship Vallejo Church, located in the heart of Vallejo, California, and he teaches in a variety of academic and church settings. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss Rev. Dr. Justin Lester's own personal faith journey and his approach to integrating AI into the life of his congregation. We consider opportunities for AI use in church and the equalizing potential of the technology, and discuss the ways that AI can help educate and unleash creativity within congregations.Meet our speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-in-the-church/Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Daniel HeckGuest: Justin LesterEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

In an interview with AI and Faith expert Thomas Arnold, we'll talk about how AI is affecting our relationship with death, and with our loved ones who have passed away. We'll delve into how our grieving process is changing, and how that affects what, until today, seemed like a normal, if difficult, part of our lives.Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-and-grief-gates-of-weeping/ Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Pablo SalmonesGuest: Thomas ArnoldEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

AI is being integrated into every element of our world and the human experience. Mourning and death are no exception. From grief bots, to AI ghosts, to robot pet companions, artificial intelligence is beginning to be woven into some of the most personal, difficult, and transformational moments of our lives. In this episode, we explore that intersection.Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/grief-death-and-artificial-intelligence/Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Gilad BerensteinGuests: Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad, and Nathan MladinEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

In this episode, we bring together three scholars from the Jewish, Christian, and Buddhist faith, for a deep and meaningful discussion about the roots of consciousness and the implications on ethics. This all leads to the critical question we will all have to answer in the coming year: what ethical obligations do we have to artificial intelligence?Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Gilad BerensteinGuests: Peter Hershock, Michael Paulus and Rabbi Daniel WeinerEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

What happens when we outsource our memory, attention, and even compassion to machines? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Jane Compson, associate professor of comparative religion and ethics at the University of Washington-Tacoma, as we explore how Buddhist wisdom relates to thorny questions around AI.Dr. Compson shares her unexpected journey into Buddhism and AI ethics and how Buddhist concepts like impermanence and not-self offer frameworks for navigating AI development. She discusses practical challenges educators face in the AI age, the ethics of care bots in healthcare, and how you don’t need to be a technical expert on AI to meaningfully engage on this critical issue.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership. Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Alex SarkissianGuest: Jane CompsonEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Dr. Nikki Mirghafori enters the deep and evolving terrain of grief, mortality, and emerging technology. Drawing on her dual expertise as an AI scientist and an empowered Buddhist teacher, she explores the ethics and emotional dimensions of grief tech—from “griefbots” and AI-generated afterlives to the speculative reality of mind‑uploading and digital immortality. What happens when algorithms attempt to recreate memory, presence, or companionship beyond death? Nikki invites us to consider how technology can deepen or distort our mourning, situating these innovations within a Buddhist-informed framework of wisdom, compassion, and impermanence. This dialogue bridges the technological frontier and the human heart, offering a profoundly grounded perspective on the intersection of grief and AI.Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-and-grief-nikki-mirghafori/Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Pablo SalmonesGuest: Nikki MirghaforiEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Our Spring Town Hall brought together two of AI&F's Advisors: Jon Palmer, the General Counsel of Microsoft, in conversation with Kenneth Cukier, the deputy executive editor of The Economist. They discussed the intersections of religion, ethics, law, and policy on business and society. What have been the influences (both positive and negative) that religion has had on US law, legal ethics and the legal profession? How has this influenced Jon's professional life, and the role of Christian doctrine in the way he views ethics, practices law, and sees his role as a lawyer? What are the challenges and opportunities that AI presents in these contexts and the need for AI to develop in a way that aligns with ethical considerations? Their diverse backgrounds made an especially interesting conversation: Jon is the son of a prominent Presbyterian pastor; Kenn's father fled the Holocaust and took him to Quaker meetings as a child.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenSpeakers: Kenneth Cukier and Jon PalmerEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Expert in AI, philosophy and the law, Barrister and Rabbi Dr. Harris Bor, practices international arbitration and commercial and company litigation from Twenty Essex, a barristers’ chambers in London. In a conversation with Gilad Berenstein, they discuss the politics and policies of AI legislation, as well as, how to navigate between extreme points of view on these topics. They also consider this question: Are we reaching a decisive moment for the future of society and technology?Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Gilad BerensteinGuests: Rabbi Dr. Harris BorEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Today's episode is a conversation with Ali-Reza Bhojani, Maria Joseph Israel, SJ and David Zvi Kalman, which was recorded in March 2025. The experts share their perspectives on AI and religious law from their unique background and beliefs. How is that intersection seen in Muslim faith? How is it different from the Jewish and Catholic point of view? Listen now and join us in this conversation.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Pablo SalmonesGuests: Ali-Reza Bhojani, Maria Joseph Israel, SJ and David Zvi KalmanEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

In this conversation we speak with a true expert at the intersection of AI and Faith, Glen Weyl. He is Founder and Research Lead of the Microsoft Research Project: The Plural Technology Collaboratory. Interviewed by Gilad Berenstein, they dive into the differences between East and West when it comes to the ways AI and technology are woven into religious and spiritual life and more importantly, the influence that these communities have on the development of faith. Glen shares his strongly held view that in the US, voices of people of faith are often too far outside of these key conversations and how we may be able to rectify that.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Gilad BerensteinGuest: Glen WeylEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Join us for an interview with Craig Detweiler and Peter McGowan on the power of storytelling and creativity in the era of AI. Is AI shaping the way creative people work? How has storytelling affected our idea of artificial intelligence?Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenSpeakers: Craig Detweiler and Peter McGowanEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Listen to the conversation between our host Gilad Berenstein, Mark Chinen and Sreevas Sahasranamam that bridges the breaking news in AI (Operator and Deepseek) with foreign affairs and spirituality. Bringing together Hindu, Christian, and Jewish perspectives, our experts have listed and worked around the world making this a particularly engaging conversion.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenSpeakers: Gilad Berenstein, Mark Chinen and Sreevas SahasranamamEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Listen to an interview with Chris Skaggs, Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soma Games and Soma SoulWorks, and Amy and Ryan Green, both award winning video game designers. Recorded in January 2025, they discussed how AI will change the gaming industry in the next few years and how that can affect society. Also, Amy and Ryan Green shared creating video game “That Dragon, Cancer” as a poetic memorial to their son and his fight against terminal brain cancer.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenSpeakers: Chris Skaggs, Amy Green and Ryan GreenEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Dive into a thought-provoking conversation with professor Karen Swallow Prior as we discuss her book, "The Evangelical Imagination," and also her intriguing views on AI technologies. Recorded in November 2023, this episode explores the importance of empathy in a polarized world, and a surprising literary insight that connects it all. Discover how AI impacts creativity and human connection, and the potential pitfalls of its integration. Gain valuable insights into maintaining sincerity in storytelling, avoiding sentimental deceptions, and the role of AI in religious communities. Join us for a captivating exploration at the crossroads of faith and technology.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Robert Rex, Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Robert RexEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39

Join this interview with researcher Rabbanit Sarah Wolkenfeld and Joshua Mendel from December 23rd, 2024. Sefaria, a digital library of Jewish texts, sits at the intersection of ancient tradition and groundbreaking technology. As its Chief Learning Officer, Rabbanit Sarah Wolkenfeld is deeply immersed in the conversation of how we can use Artificial Intelligence to bolster and expand our horizons in religious studies. In this interview, she shares her thoughts on millenia old debates with Joshua Mendel, a rabbinical student, about the progress of technology, AI’s role in Jewish learning, how we choose the right medium for our holy books, and so much more.Views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of AI and Faith or any of its leadership.Production: Mayla Boguslav, Pablo Salmones and Penny YuenHost: Joshua MendelEditing: Isabelle BraconnotMusic from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39