Spiritual Enlightenment and AI Enhancement: Can They Align?

About this episode

The episode explores the relationship between human flourishing and artificial intelligence with insights from experts in various fields.

In this month’s episode of the Harvard Data Science Review Podcast, we explore a timeless yet increasingly urgent question: What does it mean to flourish as a human being in an age of artificial intelligence? We are joined by experts Noreen Herzfeld and Tyler VanderWeele, who together bring empirical, philosophical, and theological perspectives to a wide-ranging conversation on human well-being, relationships, and the role of technology in each. The guests examine whether AI can support human flourishing—or whether it may erode the very capacities that make flourishing possible. They discuss the limits of AI in addressing deeper human longings for meaning and transcendence, the risks of replacing human connection with artificial interaction, and the ethical responsibilities of developers in shaping these tools. This episode invites listeners to reflect on what it truly means to live well in a technological age. Join in and add your voice to the conversation. The episode also highlights Dr. VanderWeele’s recent Psychology Today article, “Can We Remain Human in the Age of AI” and Dr. Herzfeld’s recent writings. Our guests: Noreen Herzfeld is the director of the Benedictine…

People in this episode

Host: Harvard Data Science Review

Guests: Noreen Herzfeld, Tyler VanderWeele

Topics covered

• human flourishing
• artificial intelligence
• technology and well-being
• ethical responsibilities
• human connection
• meaning and transcendence

Keywords

• AI
• human well-being
• technology
• ethics
• spirituality
• relationships
• human connection

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard Data Science Review, Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, Harvard

Books & works: Can We Remain Human in the Age of AI

More episodes of Harvard Data Science Review Podcast

• The Judgment of Paris at 50: Wine, Wisdom, and What We Still Don’t Know · June 1, 2026 · 30 min
• What Can We Learn From The Histories of AI: A Conversation With Stephanie Dick · April 30, 2026 · 45 min
• Better Data, Better Date? · February 27, 2026 · 27 min
• Masterminds and Mindware for Agentic AI: Contextualized and Applied · January 29, 2026 · 27 min
• Digital Twins and Virtual Twins: What Are They and What Do They Do for Humans? · December 23, 2025 · 38 min
• Tracking the Most Intoxicating Data: A Conversation With Eric LeVine · November 20, 2025 · 38 min