In this episode, we were joined by Al Gombis, a senior leader from the United States government, who has spent decades thinking about the integration of technology into our national security, military, and line enforcement operations. Together, we explored the many difficult questions and balancing acts required in figuring out how to ethically bring this technology into the realms of war and national security.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ais-impacts-on-wars-and-military-conflict-with-albert-gombis/
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Albert T. Gombis
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
In this wide-ranging conversation, we were joined by three renowned experts in the field of bioethics, medical ethics, and their intersection with technology. Braden Molhoek, Ted Peters and Sara-Jo Swiatek discuss gene editing, transhumanism, access, and the way our faith traditions can inform these very difficult decisions.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ethics-at-the-intersection-of-artificial-intelligence-and-human-biology-48/
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Braden Molhoek, Rev. Dr. Ted Peters and Sara-Jo Swiatek
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
Listen to an interview with renowned bioethicist and AI ethicist Wendell Wallach. He discuss how he became involved in the ethics of emerging technologies, the connection between bioethics and AI ethics, and his ideas for ways to improve contemporary discourse on the ethics of emerging technologies, including his new work on what he calls “trade-off ethics” and “the silent ethic.”
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-bioethics-and-spiritual-understanding/
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 Yuen
Host: Brian Green
Guest: Wendell Wallach
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
In this episode, we’re excited to introduce Greg Cootsona as AI and Faith’s new Executive Director. From his early life and journey of faith, to his deep engagement with theology, science, and technology, Greg shares the experiences that have shaped his ministry, writing, and leadership. He reflects on the past decade of work at the intersection of culture and belief, offers insights from his book, and looks ahead to what excites him most as he steps into this new role.
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Greg Cootsona
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
This summer, Nina Lutz, a PhD student at the University of Washington, joined Microsoft Research to interview nearly 50 religious leaders on how they approach technology in both ministry and personal spiritual practice. Her work, part of the new Technology for Religious Empowerment (T4RE) initiative, brings unique faith-based perspectives into the software creation process. In this podcast, Nina shares the surprising insights she uncovered from her conversations.
Meet the speakers and read the episode resources here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/religious-leaders-and-microsoft-research/
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 Yuen
Host: David Brenner
Guest: Nina Lutz
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
Bob Johansen has spent the past 50 years studying the impact of technology on humans and our society. With a deep background in faith coming from divinity school and a fascination with world religions, Bob does a masterful job of helping us think about the way religion can help us cope with a rapidly changing world, and the way religion may have to change to be relevant in the future.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-and-the-future-of-religion/
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guest: Bob Johansen
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
In this wide ranging conversation, we dive into the impacts of AI on war, conflict, and the law. We explore how the ethics of war may change due to the rise of artificial intelligence, and of course what we can learn from our various religions and religious traditions to help us act ethically as we move into this future.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/military-legal-ethics/
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Mark Chinen, Andrew DeBerry and Vineet Rajan
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
Should machines make decisions in the warfield? Can the “move fast and break things” motto of Silicon Valley be applied in the military? Join us in an interview with Dr. Shannon French about ethics in the military in the age of artificial intelligence. Dr. French is the Inamori Professor in Ethics and the Director of the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University and an advisor to the members of the US and Allied militaries and various US defense and DoD-funded research agencies.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/ai-in-military-decision-making/
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 Yuen
Host: Pablo Salmones
Guest: Shannon E. French
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
In this conversation, we welcome one of AI and Faith's newest partners to our community. Islamicity is an incredible organization, dedicated to sharing the knowledge and wisdom of Islam with the world. Through the innovative deployment of technology starting back in the 90s and the utilization of AI today, Islamicity teaches us how we can utilize artificial intelligence to benefit both the followers of the faith, as well as people around the world looking to learn.
Meet the speakers here: https://aiandfaith.org/aif-podcast/islamicity-ai-and-faiths-new-partner/
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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Mohammed Abdul Aleem and Zayd Simjee
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
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 Yuen
Host: Daniel Heck
Guest: Justin Lester
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Pablo Salmones
Guest: Thomas Arnold
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad, and Nathan Mladin
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Peter Hershock, Michael Paulus and Rabbi Daniel Weiner
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Alex Sarkissian
Guest: Jane Compson
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39
In this conversation with Nikki Mirghafori, we explore how artificial intelligence intersects with human emotional pain. How can technology help us understand, alleviate, or even exacerbate our inner struggles? With her unique background in AI and contemplative practices, Nikki offers insights into the role of wisdom, compassion, and awareness in an increasingly digital world. Join us for a dialogue that bridges mind and machine, pain and presence, and that challenges our western thinking by bringing a Buddhist perspective to the discussion.
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 Yuen
Host: Pablo Salmones
Guest: Nikki Mirghafori
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Speakers: Kenneth Cukier and Jon Palmer
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guests: Rabbi Dr. Harris Bor
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Pablo Salmones
Guests: Ali-Reza Bhojani, Maria Joseph Israel, SJ and David Zvi Kalman
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Host: Gilad Berenstein
Guest: Glen Weyl
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music 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 Yuen
Speakers: Craig Detweiler and Peter McGowan
Editing: Isabelle Braconnot
Music from #UppbeatLicense code: 1ZHLF7FMCNHU39