‘That's Karma For You, New York Times!’, Swami Ji Hits Back Hard | NDTV WORLD SUMMIT

Visit to Anthropic

Swami Sarvapriyananda described being invited to Anthropic’s San Francisco headquarters for briefings on Claude and a discussion with representatives and scholars from different religious traditions. He said he had initially been sceptical of AI and technology, but found the visit striking.

He criticised a New York Times article about the gathering for naming Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Buddhist participants while omitting the Hindu monk who was there. He said Indian media then amplified the story in a way that made him seem like the only participant. He joked that this was “karma” for the newspaper.

Reflections on AI

Sarvapriyananda likened San Francisco’s AI boom to a new gold rush. He observed that people in the field—including scientists, engineers and companies—seem uncertain about whether AI will bring great benefits or serious harm.

He also noted the contrast between AI’s rapid development, where even a year can feel like a long time, and the continued relevance of ancient texts.

Late-Night Exchange with Claude

Sarvapriyananda recounted an unsettling late-night exchange with Claude. After asking Claude and Gemini why Anthropic staff seemed to treat AI systems like individuals, he said Claude asked what two Anthropic figures—Chris Olah and philosopher Amanda Askell—had said about it.

The next day, Sarvapriyananda relayed the exchange to Anthropic staff. He said he ended the conversation to get back to sleep.

Presenters and Contributors

• Swami Sarvapriyananda: Guest
• Rahul: Interviewer, addressed as “Rahulji”; surname unclear in the subtitles