Why Anthropic Invited A Hindu Monk To Discuss AI Ethics

Anthropic, the company behind the Claude family of AI models, invited Hindu monk Swami Sarvapriyananda to its headquarters in San Francisco for discussions on artificial intelligence, ethics and morality. A video of Sarvapriyananda speaking about the visit during a talk at Unity of Dallas in June 2026 is now going viral on social media, drawing attention to Anthropic's engagement with religious scholars and philosophers. 

According to Swami Sarvapriyananda, Anthropic initially approached him for an online interview. He was later invited to visit the company's headquarters in San Francisco. During his visit, Sarvapriyananda said he met religious thinkers from different traditions, as well as counsellors and mental health professionals. He said the discussions centred on questions of AI ethics and the training of Claude.

Watch the video here: 

So this is the part I did not expect.

Anthropic called Swami Sarvapriyananda, a Vedanta monk and flew him to the San Francisco head-office.

> Closed door meeting with NDA signed.
> theologians and mental health people in the same sitting, all of it aimed at training Claude.
>… https://t.co/pP2vo08DHU pic.twitter.com/prW0Kva67X

— Rohan Paul (@rohanpaul_ai) October 1, 2026

The New York Times has reported that Anthropic has been holding private discussions with religious and philosophical thinkers from traditions including Catholicism, Judaism, Sikhism and evangelical Christianity. The conversations reportedly explored issues of morality and ethics, as well as whether increasingly advanced AI systems could develop consciousness or possess some form of moral status.

The outreach highlights growing interest in the role that religious and philosophical perspectives could play in shaping the behaviour and values of advanced AI systems.

Sarvapriyananda said the meeting with Anthropic was conducted under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which prevented him from sharing specific details of the discussions. However, he said the gathering brought together a diverse group of participants, including theologians, mental health experts, and other specialists, all contributing insights aimed at improving and training Claude. He also noted that one of Anthropic's founders remained in the room throughout the session, underscoring the company's close involvement in the process.

Watch the full video of Swami Sarvapriyananda's June 13, 2026 speech at Unity of Dallas here:

Some people regard Swami Sarvapriyananda as the "Vivekananda of the internet age". He is often compared to Swami Vivekananda for using digital platforms to make the teachings of Advaita Vedanta accessible to a global audience with intellectual rigour, clarity and contemporary relevance. Known for his lectures, online talks and engagement with modern audiences, he has built a significant following among people seeking philosophical and spiritual guidance in the digital era.

Swami Sarvapriyananda is one of the distinguished guests at the NDTV World Summit 2026. Don't miss the opportunity to hear him speak live at the summit.