KATHMANDU: In a series of debates and talk programs designed to stimulate thinking and get the ideas and knowledge flowing, French Embassy in Nepal and BEED Knowledge Center jointly organized an event on the “Future of Compassion in the context of Artificial Intelligence and Technology”.

French Buddhist monk and writer, Matthieu Ricard, was in conversation with Sujeev Shakya at the event.

During the conversation, Ricard admired the resilience of Nepali people as they get through everything in life.

There has not been lasting hatred and believes that it is a part of the Nepali culture. Ricard highlighted that a common platform, even before religion, is goodness and a good heart that is most needed for people to come together despite the challenges of technology.

In Ricard’s point of view, artificial intelligence is a method of calculation and not a being and hence no element of the experience.

For Sujeev, a lot of evolution has taken place over the years and although Buddhism and science have evolved to come together, it has always been about the human mind and people.

Sujeev emphasized that technology has encroached our life at an unprecedented level, resulting in a conflict with our notion of a shared world and a shared future.

The conversation started with the French Ambassador to Nepal, François – Xavier LEGER, giving the opening remarks.

The conversation would be available online at the Embassy’s and BEED’s websites at the beginning of December.

The attendees included Heads of Mission and representatives from various embassies, researchers, students and people from the private sector.