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Dr. Nikki Mirghafori enters the deep and evolving terrain of grief, mortality, and emerging technology. Drawing on her dual expertise as an AI scientist and an empowered Buddhist teacher, she explores the ethics and emotional dimensions of grief tech—from “griefbots” and AI-generated afterlives to the speculative reality of mind‑uploading and digital immortality. What happens when algorithms attempt to recreate memory, presence, or companionship beyond death? Nikki invites us to consider how technology can deepen or distort our mourning, situating these innovations within a Buddhist-informed framework of wisdom, compassion, and impermanence. This dialogue bridges the technological frontier and the human heart, offering a profoundly grounded perspective on the intersection of grief and AI.
Meet our Speakers
Pablo A. Ruz Salmones is the Chief Executive Officer at Xeleva Group a Software Development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Business Consulting firm. Pablo has spoken on AI and Ethics in Mexico, the US, and other countries, and appears regularly on TV and radio shows in México to discuss the relationship between art, religion, sustainable development, and technology. Pablo studied Business Engineering and Computer Engineering at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in Mexico City.
Dr. Nikki Mirghafori is an AI scientist and Buddhist teacher whose work bridges advanced technology and contemplative wisdom. Holding a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley, she has led international AI research efforts, holds multiple patents, and has authored over 40 publications in machine learning, speech recognition, and probabilistic modeling. She serves as a Stewarding Teacher on the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, teaches worldwide, and is known for her depth of practice and insight, particularly in the contemplations of death and impermanence. Nikki is also an advisor to AI and Faith, where she brings ethical insight to emerging questions at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human values, and contemplative reflections on mortality.
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
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