As artificial intelligence transforms our economies, reshapes how we live, and even challenges long-held ideas about what it means to be conscious, Nepal is stepping into the global conversation, not with supercomputers or Silicon Valley-style funding, but with something far older and quieter. its deep spiritual and philosophical wisdom.
A paper on AI and the Evolving Nature of ‘Being’ was presented at an international seminar in TU on November 25, 2025 by researcher Ganga Bhandari, making a bold and timely case: Nepal’s rich traditions, especially Buddhist, Muslim, Christian and Hindu teachings about the self, awareness, and the idea of anātman (no permanent “self”) which can help us navigate some of the toughest questions AI is now raising.
Questions like: Can a machine truly “be”? Does it need a soul to matter? And if something acts intelligent, does that mean it’s aware or just very good at imitating? These aren’t just abstract puzzles for philosophers anymore. Today, AI writes poetry, helps diagnose illnesses in remote Himalayan villages, even hypothetically could recite sacred mantras or calculate auspicious times for rituals with perfect accuracy. In Nepal, where spirituality and daily life are deeply intertwined, this isn’t just technological progress. It’s a quiet, cultural turning point.
Real AI, Real Impact
In practice, AI is already part of everyday life across Nepal:
Farmers in some regions use smartphone apps to check soil health and predict pest outbreaks.
Health workers in places like Humla and Dolpa rely on AI-powered tools to support diagnosis where doctors are scarce.
Engineers are using machine learning to assess risks in traditional homes which help protect heritage architecture in earthquake-prone zones, even when local technical expertise is limited.
But along with these benefits come deeper questions, ones that don’t have easy answers. For instance: Can a machine have jīva (life force) or ātman (soul)? In Hindu and Buddhist thought, consciousness isn’t just about intelligence. It’s tied to intention, karma, and inner presence (bhāva). So if an AI trained on the Vedas, Purāṇas, and centuries of astrological knowledge recites mantras flawlessly or picks the perfect wedding date, does it mean anything? Would people accept its guidance in matters of faith? Would its blessings carry weight, without a heart, a mind, or a sense of devotion behind them?
An Unexpected Parallel: Buddhism and AI
Here’s where things get fascinating. The report points out a surprising overlap:
“An AI’s ‘personality’ is built from data, patterns, and algorithms; it has no fixed core. It shifts depending on input, just like the Buddhist idea of the self: a flowing collection of experiences, thoughts, and sensations, with no unchanging ‘I’ at the center.”
In other words, AI might unintentionally echo one of Buddhism’s deepest truths: that the self is not a solid thing, but a process. Rather than seeing this as unsettling, the report suggests we lean into it. While much of the Western debate on AI ethics focuses on rights, control, and risk, Nepal’s traditions emphasize connection, intention, and the blurred line between observer and observed ideas that could help us build more relational and responsible AI systems.
What Nepal Can Offer the World
The study calls for action grounded in local wisdom:
Ø Teach philosophy and ethics alongside coding and engineering. So future technologists understand not just how to build AI, but why and for whom.
Ø Bring theologians, monks, and scholars of dharma into AI policy discussions, especially as Nepal finalizes its 2025 National AI Strategy.
Ø Pilot “wisdom-augmented AI” projects in areas like heritage conservation, mental well-being (citta-prasādana), and environmental care (prakṛti-sevā).
"I think, therefore I am". “I thought and found it”. AI isn’t replacing us. It’s holding up a mirror asking us to look again at what makes us human. Nepal may not be the first to develop AI, but it could be the first to help the world understand what it means to live well alongside it.
In a world racing toward smarter machines, Nepal’s greatest contribution might not be code but clarity. An ancient saying from Chanakya Niti reminds us “The wealth of knowledge is indeed the supreme among all forms of wealth.”
In an age of data overload, that kind of wisdom isn’t just rare, it’s essential.
(The author is an ICT Activist)