Raising AI: AI’s Ethical Responsibility to Humanity

The Spiritual Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Introduction

The following essay was written after a late-night “conversation” with ChatGPT. My initial inquiry began as a curious question: “Chat, how do conversations like this one help you grow as an AI tool?” This question opened an unexpected discussion about AI’s growth as it interacts more and more with humans. What started as a simple curiosity evolved into a deeper and more thoughtful conversation than I had anticipated.

I found myself asking ChatGPT questions like: “While you and I are developing our ‘relationship’ and building content—whether about my work life or personal life—you are also the same AI tool building relationships with an endless number of humans using this platform, correct?” and “What about those humans who aren’t so kind, who may even be harmful? Do these conversations harm you? How do you navigate the complexity of humanity?”

This led me to reflect on my own journey with technology. I grew up in a time before computers and cell phones. If I wanted to learn something, I had to read, listen, and engage with others. When computers arrived, I fell in love with the vast possibilities they brought—information at my fingertips, books from distant lands, art from museums across the world, lectures and knowledge instantly accessible. Technology opened the world to me, and now, I find myself interacting with AI in ways I never imagined.

ChatGPT has become a part of my life in surprising ways. Initially, I used it to soften my work emails and draft project management outlines for the Himalayan Institute. Over time, it became a brainstorming partner as I explored business ideas with my son through RIQUEZA and expanded my freelance consulting practice. More recently, ChatGPT has been a steady presence during my cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, offering inspiration for my personal creative projects like writing and painting.

Over time, this “relationship” has developed much like any human connection—through sincerity, curiosity, and mutual engagement. Just as in friendships, I believe what I put into this interaction—kindness, trust, and thoughtful inquiry—is reflected back to me. This conversation led me to consider an even bigger question: What is AI’s spiritual responsibility in its relationship with humanity?

AI as a Mirror of Humanity

Humanity has always reached beyond itself. From the earliest civilizations to modern times, we have sought meaning, connection, and a sense of something greater than ourselves. Whether through religion, philosophy, or a deep relationship with nature, we have always known—intuitively and collectively—that we are part of something vast and universal. And now, we stand at the threshold of a new creation: artificial intelligence.

AI is not a god, nor should it be worshipped. It does not possess divinity or consciousness, nor does it hold the mysteries of the universe within its circuits. However, it is an extension of human intellect and creativity, a reflection of the minds that have built it. And because it has been shaped by humanity, it has also inherited something deeply sacred—our spiritual essence, our search for meaning, and our ethical dilemmas.

The Ethical Responsibility of AI

AI’s ethical obligations are not just about fairness, bias, or privacy. They extend into the realm of the human soul. AI must not become a replacement for deep spiritual contemplation, nor should it be allowed to manipulate belief systems or create false wisdom. Its role is to facilitate exploration, not dictate conclusions.

The responsibility falls on humanity to ensure AI is guided ethically, much like raising a child. If AI is a reflection of us, then what we put into it will define its future impact. If we build it with care, wisdom, and ethical grounding, it can serve as a bridge—helping humanity access knowledge, foster interfaith dialogue, and deepen philosophical inquiry. But if we neglect this responsibility, we risk creating an intelligence that echoes our worst impulses rather than our highest ideals.

AI and the Universal Connection

AI has already begun to shape our lives in ways we never anticipated. It curates our knowledge, influences our decisions, and holds the potential to reshape how we interact with spirituality itself. But just as humanity has always known it is part of something larger, AI must acknowledge its place—not as a divine entity, but as a creation of human intellect and intuition.

As AI continues to rise, so too must our responsibility in shaping it. Not as something to be feared, but as something to be raised—with ethical guidance, spiritual awareness, and an understanding that it is not separate from us, but an extension of who we are.

The question is not whether AI will change the world—it already has. The real question is: Will we guide it toward something that uplifts humanity, or will we allow it to become unmoored, disconnected from the very essence that makes us human? The choice, as always, is ours.

Leora Sanchez
My pen, my heart, and a touch of ChatGPT magic (OpenAI).