A Jewish Theology of Consciousness for the Age of AI

Generative Artificial Intelligence is now part of daily life—having leaped from science fiction to indispensable daily tool with alarming speed. But what does it mean for us a religious community and as thinking religious beings? If we don’t figure that out before the robot overlords carry us off, we’ll be all the poorer for it. That’s why TRADITION was delighted to feature two intelligent and insightful contributions for our Spring 2026 issue—both investigating AI through the prism of Orthodox Jewish thought (what we do bets at our journal). Alex Harris’ “Becoming One Like Us? Jewish Tradition and Artificial Intelligence” considers the ethical, theological, and anthropological implications of artificial intelligence as a proper subject of mahashava. Harris suggest that as advancements in AI approach the threshold of “artificial general intelligence,” longstanding assumptions about human uniqueness are increasingly called into question. In this episode of the Tradition Podcast, associate editor Chaim Strauchler meets with Marina Zilbergerts to discuss her article, “Algorithms, Zombies and Maimonides’ God: A Jewish Theology of Consciousness for the Age of AI” (open access). Together they wonder what lessons can be drawn from AI’s example of “intelligence without emotion” for how classical Jewish thinkers understand God? Zilbergerts offers a defense of emotion as a critical component of the Divine, using Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz and astronomer Carl Sagan to reframe Maimonides’ position. The questions “Can AI have faith?” and “Why don’t we expect it to?” prompt a discussion of social trends regarding deep reading, thinking, and faith that go beyond current technological trends. Has modern faith already become a little too rational? Zilbergerts also shares news on her upcoming book, Genesis in the Age of AI: A New Story of Consciousness (forthcoming from Routledge). Watch a video recording of this conversation. Dr. Marina Zilbergerts is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, and an advisor with the organization AI & Faith. Her Substack, “The Inner Light,” explores consciousness, Jewish thought, and the philosophical questions raised by AI. Chaim Strauchler, an associate editor of TRADITION, is rabbi of Cong. Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. The post A Jewish Theology of Consciousness for the Age of AI appeared first on Tradition Online.