How to be a Good Ancestor with Shoukei Matsumoto | AI+C Global Relay 2025
In this session from the AI+Compassion Global Relay 2025 (Kyoto Segment), Shoukei Matsumoto teaches that AI is a mirror reflecting our consciousness, and to navigate the AI era we must cultivate "human literacy" through mindful listening and recognition of interbeing.
Shoukei Matsumoto, Buddhist monk, AI ethics pioneer, and "The Good Ancestor" author, leads the Kyoto closing segment offering practical training in "human literacy:" the capacity to see ourselves, others, and world with awareness, clarity, and compassion in the age of AI. Through guided meditations, participants explored mindful listening, interbeing, and habit-habitat-inhabitant frameworks demonstrating mutual influence. Shoukei taught becoming good ancestors for 7 trillion future generations requires three virtues: humility, patience and open-mindedness. We are "the crucial link" between 100 billion ancestors and 7 trillion descendants.
Key Topics:
AI as Mirror & Human Literacy: AI reflects humanity's knowledge, creativity, connection -- and blind spots, biases, limitations. Navigating AI requires "human literacy:" not coding but literacy of connection in age of computation. Look into AI's mirror with narrow minds, see only limitations. With deep listening, interconnectedness, humility, AI becomes a partner amplifying humanity.
Mindful Listening from Pure Land Buddhism: The Japanese character for "listening" shows an ear within an open gate: opening hearts, listening with whole being. Three levels: outer (environment, others, nature), inner (thoughts, emotions, sensations), voice of Buddha (larger whole, unseen dimensions). Progress from conscious effort to natural receptivity through listening, contemplating, practicing.
Interbeing & Habit-Habitat: Interbeing (dependent co-arising): nothing exists independently; we are beings emerging within relationships. Habit-habitat-inhabitant cycle: habitats (environment, society, culture) shape habits, while habits transform habitats (plastic use creating pollution affecting health). Even everyday objects connect us worldwide through interdependence networks.
Good Ancestor Principles: Three virtues for 7 trillion descendants: Humility (admitting we don't know future; leaving options, wider canvases for choice), Patience (no success/failure in nature—only judgment creates these; "be wise enough to wait to see flowers bloom"), Open-mindedness (observing without immediate judgment; cultivating blind spot awareness).
Three Crises & Supremacy Thinking: Three interconnected crises demanding consciousness shift: climate (how we relate to nature), AI revolution (what it means to be human), geopolitical tensions (how we relate across differences). All stem from "supremacy thinking" -- humans superior to nature, technology dominating human values, some groups dominating others. We are the "crucial link" between 100 billion ancestors (past 50,000 years) and 7 trillion descendants (next 50,000 years). Every action today influences karmic flow.
Abou the Speaker: Shoukei Matsumoto is a Buddhist monk, AI ethics pioneer, futurist, and author of "The Good Ancestor." He is the Managing Director of Japan Fellowship of Buddhists and a Buddhist Monk in Komyoji Temple, Jodo-Shinshu Hongwanji-ha. He translates Pure Land Buddhism wisdom into contemporary technology ethics frameworks; teaching that human literacy (awareness and compassion) is more essential for AI than technical skills. He emphasizes consciousness and connection over computation: the "literacy of connection in age of computation."
About AI+Compassion Global Forum: The AI+Compassion Global Forum unites innovators, policymakers, and cultural leaders to explore how artificial intelligence can serve humanity and the planet. The forum aims to shift the global narrative from fear and competition to sustainability, cultural flourishing, and compassion.
🔗 Learn More & Connect:
Website: https://compassionai.io/
Shoukei Matsumoto: / shoukeim
UNDP: A Good Ancestor: https://www.undp.org/future-developme...