Who We Are and What We Do

Who We Are

The Monastery of the Ordinary is an interdisciplinary, pluralist organization guided by two sacred ideals:

1. Our actions should benefit others as well as ourselves (The Golden Rule).

2. Nonviolence is our highest aim (Ahimsa Paramo Dharma).

We bring together leaders who believe advanced technologies like AI must be deployed safely, responsibly, and in ways that benefit ordinary people, communities, and the environment we share.

What We Do

We help communities and institutions align technology with human flourishing by:

• Guiding organizations in using AI ethically—reducing harm, ensuring value alignment, and demonstrating mutual benefit.
• Empowering communities to use AI in ways that deepen meaning and strengthen human connection.
• Promoting technologies and platforms that unlock creativity and expand opportunity.
• Incubating entrepreneurial ventures that generate lasting social and environmental benefit.

What We Don’t Do

Our commitments are as important as our offerings:

• We do not promote technologies that damage persons, property, or the environment. This includes rejecting AI applications in weapons systems or invasive surveillance.
• We do not develop transhumanist integrations. Our focus is on technologies that reduce risk, foster mutual benefit, and allow ordinary human life to flourish within the human form.

Our Invitation

We are building a community of partners—entrepreneurs, institutions, and visionaries—who share our conviction that technology should serve the ordinary as a sacred trust. If you believe in aligning innovation with care, creativity, and the common good, we invite you to join us.