Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickramasinghe has underscored the global importance of researching the relationship between Buddha’s teachings and artificial intelligence.
His announcement of a special program, to be implemented next year with a budget of 1 billion rupees, signals a significant step in this direction.
The President’s call for the creation of laws to regulate artificial intelligence before embarking on this research work further emphasises the global implications of this endeavour.
It is his hope to compile and complete these activities by next year, inviting the global community to join in this exploration.
The message given by the President of Sri Lanka to the world
During the hundredth anniversary celebration of the Sri Lanka Buddhist Society, Ranil Wickremesinghe, a prominent figure, made a thought-provoking statement that could have significant implications for this ongoing conversation.
Wickremesinghe sparked a discussion on the relevance of Gautama Buddha’s teachings, which he believes have a universal application that extends beyond the Buddhist community.
He emphasised that the Buddha’s teachings have the potential to guide and inspire people of all backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs.
Moreover, in honour of the centenary celebration of the Moratuwa Sri Lanka Buddhist Society, the President marked the occasion by planting a sandalwood tree on their premises.
This gesture highlights the significance of this milestone and the society’s contributions to the community.
Climate change and water shortage
Ranil Wickremesinghe’s deep concern about climate change and its global effects is a call to action. He believes that this is a matter that affects everyone, regardless of their location or status.
The world is facing a unique situation of intense sunlight and climate warming that has never been witnessed before.
To tackle this problem, he urges countries to come up with a targeted program to limit the effects of climate warming, underlining the urgency of the situation.
In addition, Wickremesinghe highlights the acute water scarcity plaguing many parts of the world.
He believes it is crucial to approach this issue from a philosophical perspective, particularly from Buddhist philosophy. By doing so, we can develop a more sustainable and long-term solution to this problem.
Wickremesinghe’s suggestions and emphasis on these critical issues remind us of the importance of taking action to address climate change and the need for a more thoughtful and philosophical approach to solving global problems.
The primary psychological issue called ‘greed’
Climate change is an issue that is expected to become increasingly important over the next few decades.
According to the teachings of Buddha, this issue arises from the fundamental psychological problem of greed that is inherent in civilisation.
President Ranil Wickramasinghe has also pointed out that the pursuit of rapid development has become a pressing need for many people.
However, the world’s current reliance on vehicles is significantly impacting the environment, and human activity is causing considerable damage to our planet.
Given this situation, we must start considering new ways to address climate change and minimise its effects.
Where does artificial intelligence stop?
In today’s world, we are witnessing an unprecedented pace of technological development that is revolutionising every aspect of our lives.
Despite the catastrophic aftermath of the atomic bomb in 1945, technological progress has shown no signs of slowing down.
In fact, the IT sector has made remarkable strides and is on the verge of ushering in a new era of artificial intelligence.
The question looms on how far AI will advance in the next two decades and what implications this will have for humanity.
To better understand this situation, it is essential to delve deeper into the relationship between AI and Buddhism and explore the ethical and moral issues that arise from this technological advancement.
Everything is controlled by the mind
According to Buddha’s teachings, our minds are responsible for controlling everything. If we learn to control our minds, we can move forward and create a better future.
Ranil Wickramasinghe emphasises this point and explains that controlling the mind is the key to overcoming greed.
However, with the rise of artificial intelligence, we must also consider how it aligns with Buddhist teachings.
If artificial intelligence were to promote a different religion, it could pose a significant threat to Buddhism, and indeed, all religions.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s call for new regulations to control artificial intelligence and the establishment of a monitoring centre is a proactive step to prevent any negative consequences, highlighting the need for vigilance and regulation in this area.
