AI seeks wisdom from ancient Sanskrit

Artificial intelligence companies are actively seeking guidance from diverse spiritual and ethical traditions to ensure their creations behave responsibly. This includes hosting Christian clergy and engaging in interfaith dialogues with leaders from various religions. The core question driving these conversations is how to instill ethical conduct in machines, echoing an age-old philosophical challenge of teaching right from wrong.

Sanskrit, an ancient language, offers a unique perspective through the verbal root 'yam,' meaning 'to hold, to restrain, or to control.' This root forms words like 'yantra,' which denotes a tool, instrument, or diagram used for control, and 'yama,' representing ethical restraints like non-harm and truthfulness. This linguistic connection suggests that in ancient thought, the concepts of machinery and moral discipline were intrinsically linked.

The Yoga Sūtras, for instance, describe yama as a path of restraint toward others and niyama as self-discipline, culminating in saṃyama, or the restraint of the mind. This framework views ethics not as external rules but as an internal art of 'holding.' Similarly, the Kaṭha Upaniṣad uses the metaphor of a chariot to illustrate self-mastery, with the mind acting as reins that must be firmly held.

These consultations are not about ancient India predicting AI, but about drawing parallels from linguistic and philosophical traditions. The Sanskrit approach emphasizes that power and restraint are not opposing forces but are fundamentally connected. Usefulness, whether in mechanical devices or human beings, begins with a form of control or discipline.