Kamal Ghorui
By Jasjit Singh
We are living through a remarkable moment in human history.
Machines can now generate text, images, and ideas. They can anticipate our needs, finish our sentences, and quietly shape our choices. Artificial intelligence has moved from science fiction into the everyday rhythms of life.
It informs our work, our communication, and even, in some cases, timings of our moments of reflection. In this rapidly changing world, many are asking a simple but profound question: How do we seek wisdom when algorithms increasingly shape what we see and believe?
Spiritual traditions have always adapted to new technologies. Sacred teachings have travelled across memory, manuscripts, printing presses, and now digital screens. Each shift has expanded access and deepened understanding.
Yet AI feels different because it appears to imitate qualities we once considered distinctively human, qualities such as learning, reasoning, and conversation, which now appear to be provided by machines. The presence of AI invites us to look again at what truly matters in our spiritual lives.
There is no doubt that AI can be a useful companion. It can simplify ideas, remind us to reflect, or help us explore learning that was once difficult.
For many, these tools open doors to practice, offering moments of calm amid busy schedules. But spiritual teachers have long reminded us that technology may assist the journey, yet it cannot walk the path for us.
True insight arises from patience, contemplation, and the willingness to slow down in a world driven by speed.
The Sikh tradition offers particularly grounded guidance for this moment. At the heart of Sikh life is seva , selfless service performed without expectation of reward.
In an age when so much of life is mediated through screens, seva reminds us that spirituality is rooted in action.
Volunteering in the langar, supporting neighbours, tending to the vulnerable, these are practices that cultivate humility and compassion because they require our physical presence.
Machines can automate many tasks, but they cannot replicate the quiet transformation that happens when we serve another person with our own hands.
Alongside seva is sangat , the power of gathering in community. Digital tools allow us to connect across continents, but Sikhi teaches that there is something irreplaceable about sitting together, listening together, and sharing space.
Collective singing, shared meals, and face-to-face support form bonds that no algorithm can simulate.
In a world where AI reshapes communication, Sangat reminds us that genuine connection depends on empathy, presence, and shared responsibility.
AI can mirror our habits, highlight our patterns, and support aspects of our lives, but it cannot carry the weight of our inner work. It cannot replace the courage needed to face our fears or the compassion needed to heal relationships.
Perhaps the real task in the age of AI is not to fear these new tools nor to surrender to them, but to hold them in proper proportion. Let technology support our outer lives while we remain responsible for the inner ones.
Let algorithms organise information while we nurture wisdom. Let machines assist efficiency while we commit ourselves to service, community, and the slow unfolding of insight.
AI may change many things, but it cannot change the essence of what it means to live a spiritual life, the daily practice of showing up, serving others, and learning to see the Oneness within.
The writer is professor, Religion and Global Engagement, School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, University of Leeds
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