AI Meditation? My human thoughts as AI enters the meditation space
Yes, AI meditation is a thing now. So, in today’s episode, I’m taking a look at how the current expansion of AI tech is reaching the meditation world…and why I don’t think human meditation teachers are going to be replaced by these tools anytime soon.
Episode Details
AI meditation…really? Like me, you may be immediately skeptical that AI can play a role in a deeply human activity like meditation.
However, there are several ways that AI has entered the meditation scene already, including AI-generated meditation scripts, AI voiceovers for guided meditations, AI-based meditation apps, and more. There are even AI tools being used by online content creators (with little to no meditation experience) to churn out high volumes of guided meditation recordings for platforms like YouTube.
If you have a favorite meditation app that you use, have you checked to see what their AI policy is? Have you thought about whether this matters to you and how much AI you’re comfortable with in your practice? For example, maybe you’re ok with AI search tools that help you find content, but not sure about being led through a meditation that was created by generative AI.
Ethics of AI Meditation
AI itself isn’t inherently good or bad, and there may be many possibilities for innovation if AI is used responsibly. However, there are lots of ethical concerns to consider as this tech is rapidly becoming part of our everyday life. To name a few, there’s the issue of AI being built off the intellectual property of writers, teachers, authors, and artists without compensation or credit. There is the potential for AI to eliminate jobs and entire industries before society has a plan to mitigate the economic fallout. And, there is the increase of energy resources needed to sustain the massive amount of computing that AI requires, and a lack of meaningful discussion about how this is affecting our climate already.
Photo: Ahmed Nishaath via Unsplash
Specifically within the field of meditation, there are questions of how AI meditation guidance could possibly be trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, or even effective without the benefits of human connection.
AI Meditation Topics Covered in this Episode:
- Issues of accuracy, reliability, quality, and authenticity
- Potential risks for beginners who may turn to an AI tool to try meditation
- The limitations of learning meditation from a tech that doesn’t share your human experience, stressors, emotions, or aches and pains
- The benefits of nervous system co-regulation that we receive when we practice meditation with other humans
- How human meditation teachers draw from their understanding, intuition, empathy, and training to offer nuanced and attuned guidance
- The vulnerability of being led through a meditation that can affect us mentally and emotionally, and who we trust to guide us.
As this new tech is being purposed for meditation, I hope you’ll find it useful to discuss the implications, and how we might talk to others about the importance of human connection, human experience, and human insight in this field.
Resources and Links from this episode:
- Article “What I Discovered While Using An AI Meditation App Everyday for Two Weeks” by Caroline Forsey on HubSpot
- Blog via the Calm app on AI tools for mental health
- Insight Timer’s policy, currently disallowing generative AI meditation content on their app
- The Headspace app’s statement on their approach to AI
- For other apps you might use, I encourage you to look for statements or FAQs on their AI approach and/or reach out to ask what their policies are so that you can make informed choices about how you want this tech to be part of your practice.
If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy Ep. 47 – Learning To Meditate: Apps and Beyond or Ep. 57 – Mindfulness Mentor Groups and the Power of Community with Sharon Shelton.