Identity/Crisis Staying Human in the Age of AI — with David Zvi Kalman
Oct 13, 2025
Join David Zvi Kalman, a scholar and technology commentator, as he unpacks the ethical dilemmas AI poses for Jewish life. He emphasizes the risks of dehumanization and the amplification of antisemitism through AI. Kalman advocates for Jewish communities to catch up with technology while preserving human dignity. He warns against using AI for sermon creation to maintain communal trust and suggests that religious leaders should foresee tech trajectories to shape ethical responses. This insightful conversation blends ancient wisdom with modern challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Jewish Conversation Lags On AI
- The Jewish community is behind on organized AI conversation because attention focused on other crises like war and antisemitism.
- David Zvi Kalman urges moving from ad-hoc uses to systemic ethical engagement with AI now.
Tool Use Masks Deeper Harms
- Using AI for the tasks its creators intend can blind users to harms and make critique harder.
- That dynamic risks devaluing educational labor and normalizing replacement of human work.
Religions Must Think Like Futurists
- Religious institutions must respond as visionaries, not just critics, by painting clear alternative futures.
- They should adopt tech-like iterative speed to shape behaviors before widespread adoption locks them in.
