The Times of Israel Daily Briefing Bonus episode [SPONSORED]: Identity/Crisis - Staying Human in the Age of AI - with David Zvi Kalman
Dec 13, 2025
David Zvi Kalman, a technology scholar and Hartman fellow, delves into the religious and ethical implications of AI on Jewish life. He discusses the risks of dehumanization and antisemitism exacerbated by AI, while stressing the need for the Jewish community to catch up with rapid technological changes. Kalman argues against AI-generated sermons to maintain human dignity in religious spaces. He advocates for localized discussions on AI’s role in Jewish education, urging proactive approaches to ensure ethical outcomes.
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Episode notes
AI Threatens Human Dignity
- AI risks include dehumanization and the erosion of educational and creative labor.
- David Zvi Kalman warns that AI will try to replace many human jobs, and sometimes it shouldn't.
Religion Must Move Faster
- Religious traditions struggle because ethical needs now change rapidly while rules were written for slower change.
- Kalman argues ethicists must think as fast as tech firms and iterate faster to remain relevant.
Keep Sermons Human
- Do not use AI to write sermons; require every spoken word in services to be human-authored.
- Use AI only for research and background work, preserving sacred human-to-human spaces.
