Hindu Responses to Artificial Intelligence: Theological and Ethical Frameworks for Human-Technology Relationships

Professor Dr. Harikumar Pallathadka, Professor Dr. Parag Deb Roy

Abstract- This pioneering study explores emerging Hindu theological and ethical responses to artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. Through interviews with Hindu religious leaders, analysis of contemporary religious publications, and examination of traditional texts that address human-technology relationships, this research documents how Hindu thought is engaging with questions of consciousness, personhood, dharma, and ethical responsibility in relation to AI development. The paper argues that Hindu philosophical traditions offer distinctive resources for approaching technological ethics, including sophisticated theories of consciousness that challenge Western mind-body dualism, ethical frameworks emphasizing interconnectedness, and cosmological perspectives that situate technological development within broader cycles of creation and dissolution. Case studies examining Hindu perspectives on specific AI applications in healthcare, environmental management, and religious practice reveal diverse theological positions that both complement and challenge dominant secular approaches to technology ethics. This research contributes to both religious studies and technology ethics by illuminating how traditional religious frameworks are being adapted to address unprecedented technological developments.