217 - DZ Kalman: AI and Faith

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna speaks with DZ Kalman about the intersection of artificial intelligence, human interaction, and religious faith. They examine why established religious traditions are hesitant to grant moral or theological status to AI, prioritizing human accountability and preserving the sacred relationship between humanity and the divine. Kalman highlights how AI's conversational interface encourages anthropomorphism and emotional attachment, warning that reliance on AI must not replace meaningful human connections. The dialogue further addresses the concept of establishing religious certifications or benchmarks for AI models, language and cultural biases present in training data, the risks associated with powerful AI tools in the hands of malicious actors, and the crucial role faith communities play in setting societal boundaries and fostering resilience against technological overreach.

Dr. DZ Kalman is a Senior Fellow at the Kogod Research Center of the Shalom Hartman Institute.

DZ works on issues of technology, religion, and art. He is currently a fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, holds a position as Senior Advisor for Sinai and Synapses, and is the host of the Belief in the Future podcast. He is the owner of Print-O-Craft Press, an independent publishing house that has released books including Jessica Deutsch’s The Illustrated Pirkei Avot and Noam Sienna’s A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969. He has been widely published in both academic and popular publications. DZ holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of Toronto.

He blogs at the website Jello Menorah and his work can be found at davidzvi.com.