Jews are having the wrong conversation about artificial intelligence

Over the past year, Jewish communities have become increasingly interested in artificial intelligence, with many people giving classes and sermons addressing the subject. But I think Jews are having the wrong conversations about AI.

The Jewish conversations about AI that I’ve seen have largely focused on philosophical questions (What does it mean to be human? What can humans do that machines cannot?) and practical applications for communal institutions, learning and more. These are worthwhile conversations, but recent developments demand others as well: We need to be asking ourselves what responsibility we have to ensure the technology being built is safe, and what we can do to make sure it is. 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addresses the United Nations Security Council in New York City on Sept. 23, 2026.

AI safety, like other causes Jews have historically mobilized around — human rights, civil rights, reproductive rights, the climate crisis — has consequences for all of humanity. Yet the Jewish community hasn’t responded adequately to the question of AI safety regulation. 

The risks AI poses to users’ emotional, social and mental well-being are well documented. An MIT study found that extensive use of AI systems harms cognitive functioning. There have been cases of children turning to AI for mental health support and dying by suicide. Evidence shows that extensive use of AI companions erodes social skills and harms real-life relationships. AI is also predicted to have drastic consequences for the labor market.