Exclusive Interview with Deepak Chopra – How AI Could Save Us or Destroy Us

Written by Corey Poirier, Executive Contributor at Brainz Magazine

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In 2010, I found myself sitting nervously among more than 2,000 people, waiting to meditate with none other than Deepak Chopra himself. For years, I had immersed myself in his books and guided meditations, but nothing could have prepared me for the experience of sharing a room with him in person.

What happened next completely surprised me. Not only did Deepak make a crowded hall feel like an intimate, one-to-one meditation session, but he also had us laughing out loud. Who knew that the renowned spiritual leader could also double as a stand-up comedian?

Deepak Chopra

A Second Conversation with Deepak Chopra

Fast forward to last month, and I had my second opportunity to interview Deepak. This experience was just as powerful and transformative as our first meeting. My first question was about which of his nearly 100 books he would recommend to someone just discovering his work. I expected him to take some time to choose, but to my surprise, he immediately selected the book that had impacted my life the most: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. In his own words, it's a simple, small book that explores what success truly means and how we define it.

He then posed a question: Is there a spiritual way to succeed without experiencing the stress and anxiety we typically face when pursuing success through our minds? He answered profoundly, reflecting the central message of his book.

I shared with Deepak that my favorite law from the book is the Law of Detachment, precisely because it's the one I struggle with the most.

Exploring The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

For those unfamiliar with this book, which I highly recommend, the seven laws are:

• The Law of Pure Potentiality

• The Law of Giving and Receiving

• The Law of Karma

• The Law of Least Effort

• The Law of Intention and Desire

• The Law of Detachment

• The Law of Dharma
  

The Challenge of Detachment

Given my own struggles with the Law of Detachment, my next question to Deepak was why detachment is so difficult for many people. His response, as always, was insightful and thought-provoking:

“Let me share with you why detachment is the only recourse to having a joyful life, even though people find it the most difficult. This is because of a very fundamental fact that our everyday experience of reality is actually a dream. Right now, if I asked you what happened to your childhood, you'd say it feels like a dream. And you can't hold onto that, you can't hold onto your childhood. What happened to your teenage years? It's over. What about yesterday? It's over. What about this morning? It's over. What about five minutes ago? It's over. What about my words? By the time you hear them, they don't exist. So your whole life is literally a dream. But there's one factor that's constant in that dream, and that is called presence. Presence is the same thing as spirit, by the way, the same thing as awareness, the same thing as your soul. That never changes.”

Listening to Deepak’s response reminded me how deeply conscious he is, undoubtedly the result of his lifelong dedication to self-discovery, as well as his profound study of the universe and humanity.

Deepak Chopra’s Continued Work with Disney

One memory from my evening with Deepak years ago was his mention of starting a collaboration with Disney. Curious about how this evolved, I asked if this relationship had continued. He confirmed that he is still actively working with Disney, consulting on innovative new communities they’re developing.

Currently, he is involved in two such communities: one located in Palm Desert, California, and the other in North Carolina. Although these communities differ in location, both share a common foundation of well-being, higher consciousness, spirituality, education, meditation, yoga, and entertainment.

Deepak Chopra’s New Book: Digital Dharma

The last part of my conversation with Deepak focused on his latest book, Digital Dharma. Given the large number of books he has already written, I was curious about whether the writing process for Digital Dharma was similar to his earlier works.

Deepak explained that he follows a creative routine each night before sleep. He says, "Give me an exciting idea to think about." Usually, by the next morning, he wakes up with a new idea for a book. He then records a YouTube video on this idea, transcribes it into text using Grammarly for initial editing, and finally collaborates with his editor. Through this iterative process, a new book emerges.

I really like that Deepak has a clear system for writing his books, and that he takes advantage of what's possible in our digital world today, especially for a book titled Digital Dharma. Naturally, I was curious about why he decided to write this particular book, and what he hoped readers would take away from it.

Why Digital Dharma?

When I asked Deepak about his motivation for writing Digital Dharma, he shared a story about meeting Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Deepak noted that although AI could potentially be misused, for example, in creating deepfakes, Sam Altman maintains an optimistic outlook regarding AI’s future.

Deepak shared that it has always been his dream, for more than 40 years, to create a more peaceful, sustainable, healthier, and joyful world. Inspired by his conversation with Sam, Deepak began experimenting with AI. His first request to AI was ambitious yet straightforward: "Give me all the ways to resolve conflicts and war, and create prosperity for everyone, whether it's in Gaza, Israel, or anywhere else."

He was impressed that AI provided very practical solutions to resolve war. Encouraged, he continued by asking AI: "Give me all the ways that we could reverse climate change." Again, he received practical, actionable answers. Deepak shared that each prompt he gave resulted in similarly useful responses, leading him to the realization that AI truly could help us build a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier, and joyful world. He believes that in today's world, where war-driven interests and special-interest groups dominate, and less than 1% of people hold significant wealth and influence over the remaining 99%, AI might indeed hold the key to achieving peace, health, and joy.

AI: Saving Us or Destroying Us?

In summarizing his views, Deepak strongly believes AI holds the potential either to save humanity from extinction or, conversely, to cause it. His intent in writing Digital Dharma is clear: he wants to be on the side of it saving us.

Regarding why someone should read Digital Dharma, the book promises several key benefits: it will increase your spiritual intelligence; it can help you use AI as a personal confidant; and it can serve as a health coach for your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Mastering the Art of the Prompt

One significant focus of the book is the "art of the prompt." According to Deepak, knowing how to ask AI the right questions is essential. He designed the book as a practical guide for learning how to interact effectively with AI. However, Deepak didn’t stop there, he also created his own AI platform called DeepakChopra.ai, helping readers directly experience the potential benefits of AI.

Ease of use was critical for Deepak, so he ensured that the platform was accessible from any browser or mobile device. Simply by typing "DeepakChopra.ai," users can immediately start experimenting. He explained that people could literally ask any question. For example, "I'm having a problem with my girlfriend," and then engage in a meaningful back-and-forth dialogue with the AI.

Advice for Those Skeptical of AI

Lastly, I asked Deepak what advice he'd give to those who feel intimidated or uneasy about AI. His response was reassuring and powerful:

“We have to recognize that as humans, we are toolmakers. Even before we started to speak in oral and written language, we had tools. In the beginning, plant tools, and copper, iron, bronze, knives, hammers. We discovered fire. Had we not discovered fire, we wouldn't have the steam engine. Had we not had the steam engine, we wouldn't have the industrial age. Had we not had the industrial age, we wouldn't have the age of technology, et cetera, et cetera. I was reading somewhere that between the years 1886 and 1903, humanity saw the emergence of the light bulb, of the automobile, of the airplane, and of the telephone. Twenty years, only twenty years or less. So had you been deserted on a desert island in 1885, and then you were rescued in 1905, you would see a world you wouldn't recognize. It leapfrogged. Right now we are in the middle of that leapfrog again.”

Final Thoughts

Deepak's closing words provided valuable perspective. It wasn't surprising, therefore, that at the end of our interview, when I asked for any final advice on AI and the brave new world we’re now entering, he simply reminded me not to forget to consult his digital twin, DeepakChopra.ai.

To which I’d add: Don't forget to pick up your copy of Digital Dharma.

For more information about Deepak Chopra, visit his official website.