This article explores the Sikh spiritual critique of artificial intelligence, contrasting the machine age's efficiency-driven mindset with Sikhism's emphasis on the divine spark (Jot) within each individual. Drawing on the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, it argues that AI, lacking spiritual consciousness, cannot replicate the sacred essence of human life. It warns against false worship of technology and the erosion of meaningful work, community, and moral growth. Rather than rejecting innovation, Sikhism calls for spiritually guided technology that upholds human dignity, service, and divine remembrance. The machine must serve humanity, not replace its soul.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, religious traditions worldwide are grappling with questions that strike at the heart of human purpose and dignity. While Pope Leo XIV [1] has emerged as a prominent Catholic voice warning against AI's potential threats to the soul, Sikhism, the world's fifth-largest religion, offers its own profound perspective on why thinking machines may fundamentally conflict with divine intention and human flourishing.
The Divine Spark Within
Central to Sikh teachings [1-2] is the concept that every human being carries within them a divine spark, known as the Jot (the light of the Creator). This isn't merely metaphorical; Sikhs believe that the same divine light that illuminates the cosmos resides within each person, making every individual sacred and irreplaceable. Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh way of life, declared:
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
Sabʰ mėh joṫ joṫ hæ so▫é. Ṫis ḋæ chaanaṇ sabʰ mėh chaanaṇ ho▫é.
The Divine Light is in everyone; It is the Light of the One (Creator). Through His Light, all are illuminated. (M. 1, SGGS, p. 13)
ਜਾਣਹੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਨ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਜਾਤੀ ਆਗੈ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੇ ॥
Jaaṇhu joṫ na poochʰahu jaaṫee aagæ jaaṫ na hé.
Recognize the Divine Light within all, and do not ask about social class or status; there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter. (M. 1, SGGS, P. 349)
Artificial intelligence, no matter how sophisticated, lacks this divine essence. It may simulate human reasoning, creativity, even emotion, but it cannot possess the divine spark (Jot) that makes each person a unique manifestation of the Divine. When we begin to treat AI as equivalent to human intelligence, we risk forgetting what makes human consciousness sacred in the first place.
The Danger of False Worship
Sikh scripture warns repeatedly against haumai (ego or false pride) and the worship of false gods. The Guru Nanak states:
ਗੁਰੂ ਜਿਨਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਧੁਲਾ ਚੇਲੇ ਨਾਹੀ ਠਾਉ ॥
Guroo jinaa kaa anḋʰulaa chélé naahee tʰaa▫o.
Those devotees, whose spiritual teacher is blind, shall not find their place of rest. (M.1, SGGS, p. 58)
This verse metaphorically conveys that if a spiritual guide (Guru) himself is ignorant (spiritually blind), then his followers (disciples) will also be misguided and will not attain spiritual fulfillment or true liberation. It emphasizes the importance of following a true, enlightened Guru who has inner vision and divine wisdom. Similarly, Guru Amar Das articulates:
ਗੁਰੂ ਜਿਨਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਧੁਲਾ ਸਿਖ ਭੀ ਅੰਧੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
Guroo jinaa kaa anḋʰulaa sikʰ bʰee anḋʰé karam karén.
When the Guru is blind (ignorant), the disciple also acts blindly. (M. 3, SGGS, p. 951)
This quote highlights the importance of having a spiritually enlightened teacher. If the teacher (Guru) is not truly awakened or wise, then their followers will also remain ignorant, performing rituals or actions without proper understanding or spiritual benefit. It cautions against blind faith and emphasizes the importance of seeking proper guidance.
In our rush to embrace AI's capabilities, we may be creating a new form of idolatry, placing our faith in silicon and algorithms rather than in divine wisdom and human potential guided by spiritual principles.
The Sikh tradition has always emphasized that true knowledge comes from divine grace, not from the accumulation of information. Sri Guru Granth Sahib teaches that worldly cleverness without spiritual wisdom leads to spiritual poverty:
ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣਾ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਲੂਝੈ ॥
Gi▫aan vihooṇaa kaṫʰ kaṫʰ loojʰæ.
Without spiritual wisdom, they (clever persons) babble and argue. (M. 1, SGGS, p. 466)
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਮਿਰਤਕੁ ਹੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥
Anṫar gi▫aan na aa▫i▫o mirṫak hæ sansaar.
Spiritual wisdom has not entered within; such a person is spiritually dead in the world. (M. 3, SGGS, p. 88)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਹ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਚੇਤਿਓ ਬੂਡੇ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਸਿਆਨੇ ॥
Kaho Kabeer jih raam na chéṫi▫o boodé bahuṫ si▫aané.
Says Kabir, those who do not remember the Lord may be very clever, but they still drown. (Bhagat Kabir, SGGS, p. 1124)
AI may process vast amounts of data and generate seemingly intelligent responses, but it operates without spiritual consciousness, moral intuition, or divine connection.
Work as Spiritual Practice
One of Sikhism's three fundamental principles is "Ghaal Khaye (or kirat karni)," which means earning an honest living through righteous work. Labour isn't merely an economic necessity in Sikh thought; it's a form of spiritual practice that connects humans to the divine order and their community. Through meaningful work, individuals contribute to the collective welfare while developing discipline, humility, and a sense of service.
The AI revolution threatens to undermine this spiritual dimension of work by replacing human labour with mechanical processes. When machines perform tasks that once required human skill, creativity, and care, we not only lose jobs but also opportunities for spiritual growth through service. The Sikh concept of sarbat da bhala (welfare of all) becomes increasingly challenging to achieve when fewer people have meaningful roles in society's functioning.
The Illusion of Efficiency
Modern AI evangelists promise unprecedented efficiency and convenience, echoing what Pope Leo XIII warned against in Rerum Novarum: “[N]o artifice will ever succeed in banishing from human life the ills and troubles which beset it. If there are any who pretend differently, who hold out to a hard-pressed people the boon of freedom from pain and trouble, an undisturbed repose, and constant enjoyment, they delude the people and impose upon them, and their lying promises will only one day bring forth evils worse than the present” [1]. Sikh teachings suggest that struggle and effort are essential components of the human spiritual journey. Guru Tegh Bahadur wrote:
ਸੁਖੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਦੋਨੋ ਸਮ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨੈ ਅਉਰੁ ਮਾਨੁ ਅਪਮਾਨਾ॥ ਹਰਖ ਸੋਗ ਤੇ ਰਹੈ ਅਤੀਤਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਜਗਿ ਤਤੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ॥੧॥ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਦੋਊ ਤਿਆਗੈ ਖੋਜੈ ਪਦੁ ਨਿਰਬਾਨਾ ॥
Sukʰ ḋukʰ ḋono sam kar jaanæ a▫or maan apmaanaa. Harakʰ sog ṫé rahæ aṫeeṫaa ṫin jag ṫaṫ pachʰaanaa. ||1||Usṫaṫ ninḋaa ḋo▫oo ṫi▫aagæ kʰojæ paḋ nirbaanaa.
One who regards both pleasure and pain as the same, and treats honour and dishonour alike; Who remains unaffected by joy and sorrow, that one has truly understood the essence of the world. (1). One who renounces both praise and slander seeks the state of liberation (Nirvana). (M. 9, SGGS, p. 219)
This passage describes the qualities of a spiritually awakened person—someone who is unaffected by dualities such as happiness and sorrow, or praise and blame. Instead, they remain centred and strive for inner realization and liberation, which is central to the Sikh understanding of a Gurmukh (God-centered person).
AI's promise to eliminate human effort and decision-making conflicts with the Sikh understanding that growth comes through conscious choice, moral struggle, and taking responsibility for our actions. The technology offers to spare us from the very experiences that, according to Sikh wisdom, help us develop spiritually and come closer to understanding divine will.
Community and Interconnection
Sikhism places enormous emphasis on community (sangat) and shared service (seva). The institution of langar (free community kitchen) embodies the principle that all people, regardless of their background, deserve dignity and care. These practices depend on human connection, empathy, and the recognition of our shared divine nature.
AI systems, despite their sophistication, cannot participate in this spiritual community. They can process information about human needs, but they cannot feel compassion, experience the joy of service, or form the bonds of mutual respect and love that sustain communities. As we increasingly rely on AI for tasks that once brought people together, from education to care for the elderly, we risk weakening the very social bonds that Sikh teaching sees as essential for spiritual and moral development.
The Path Forward
This doesn't mean Sikhs must reject all technology. The tradition has always adapted to serve human welfare, and Sikh institutions have embraced innovations that genuinely help people. The question is whether AI, as it is currently developing, serves human flourishing or undermines it.
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, taught that humans must be prepared to stand against forces that threaten righteousness and human dignity. In our time, this might mean resisting the rush toward AI dependency and instead insisting on technology that enhances rather than replaces human wisdom, creativity, and spiritual development.
The Sikh response to AI need not be complete rejection but rather a call for technology guided by spiritual principles: Naam simran (remembrance of the Divine), seva (selfless service), and sarbat da bhala (universal welfare). Any artificial intelligence that distances us from these principles, encouraging us to abandon our role as conscious, spiritual beings working toward collective flourishing, contradicts the fundamental teachings that have guided Sikhs for over five centuries.
Ultimately, the Sikh case against uncritical AI adoption hinges on a simple yet profound truth: we are not merely biological computers to be improved upon by silicon substitutes. We are bearers of divine light, called to live consciously, serve others, and recognize the sacred in every human encounter. No machine, however clever, can fulfill that calling for us.
References
- Boyagoda, R. (2025, July 4). The Catholic case against artificial intelligence. The Walrus. https://thewalrus.ca/pope-leo-artificial-intelligence/
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib. (1983). Reprint, S. G. P. C., Amritsar. India. 1-1430.
- Singh, D. P. (2014). Relevance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in the 21st Century, The Sikh Bulletin, 17 (7& 8). 18-22.
