Festivals in Digital Times: Let Needonomics Guide AI with Spiritual Intelligence (SI)

Prof Madan Mohan Goel, Proponent Needonomics & Former Vice-Chancellor (Thrice)

Festivals are living expressions of culture, tradition, and consciousness. The digital shift of festivals in 2025, including Durga Puja going online with virtual pandals, AI-generated artworks, and immersive digital experiences, reflects the inevitable march of technology into our daily lives. While these innovations enhance accessibility and inclusivity, they also bring forward a pressing concern: the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI, though a miracle of human invention, often behaves like a “monkey mind”—restless, imitative, and without true awareness.

Needonomics School of Thought (NST), propounded by Prof. M.M. Goel, firmly emphasizes that while AI can be a powerful tool; it cannot and should not replace human consciousness. For the holistic progress of humanity, AI must be balanced by spiritual intelligence (SI), which resides only in the human brain and heart. This interplay between AI as a monkey mind and SI as a monk mind opens up a philosophical, ethical, and practical debate about the future of technology and humanity.

AI as Monkey Mind

The term “monkey mind” originates from ancient Indian wisdom to describe a restless, unsettled, and easily distracted state of thought. The monkey mind jumps from one branch to another, never resting, always chasing. AI exhibits a similar tendency. It processes vast amounts of information, mimics human intelligence, and produces outputs in seconds. However, its functioning is essentially reactive, imitative, and devoid of intrinsic meaning.

Consider how AI creates art, music, or even spiritual texts. It relies entirely on existing human-created data, algorithms, and patterns. It cannot innovate beyond what it is fed. Much like a monkey mimicking human gestures, AI lacks depth, intent, or higher purpose. This makes it powerful in utility but weak in wisdom.

NST reminds us that human life cannot be reduced to mere calculations or imitations. By blindly glorifying AI without acknowledging its monkey-mind limitations, we risk creating a society where speed overtakes substance and imitation replaces imagination.

Monk Mind of Spiritual Intelligence

In contrast to the monkey mind is the monk mind, rooted in calmness, awareness, and purpose. Spiritual intelligence (SI), as explained in epics like the Gita and Anu-Gita, resides in human consciousness. It is the ability to perceive truth, differentiate between need and greed, and align actions with higher goals.

The Anu-Gita emphasizes that salvation (moksha) and Jeevan Mukti (liberation while living) are achievable only through inner discipline, awareness, and self-realization. Machines, no matter how sophisticated, cannot experience suffering, joy, love, or liberation. AI can simulate conversations on spirituality but cannot embody or practice it.

NST thus advocates the monk mind—where technology serves humanity’s higher needs, not lower distractions. Spiritual intelligence equips us to ask questions beyond utility: What is the purpose of AI? How should it be used responsibly? How can it serve human dignity rather than diminish it?

Continuous Modification of Mind

The human mind is not static; it is continuously modified by thoughts, experiences, and reflections. This dynamic capacity distinguishes us from machines. AI, in contrast, is limited to programmed updates and data inputs. It cannot transform itself meaningfully because it lacks self-awareness.

In spiritual traditions, the purification and elevation of the mind are central to progress. Meditation, self-control, and ethical conduct gradually convert the monkey mind into a monk mind. This process is ongoing and never-ending. AI, however, cannot enter this journey because pure consciousness—the essence of being—is beyond its reach.

NST therefore stresses that any attempt to equate AI with human consciousness is not only misleading but also dangerous. Pure consciousness is timeless, self-sufficient, and beyond algorithms. AI remains an illusion of the human mind—an impressive shadow but never the substance.

Illusion of AI Consciousness

In recent years, debates have intensified about whether AI can develop consciousness. Some researchers argue that as AI systems become more advanced, they may exhibit artificial consciousness. NST cautions against this illusion.

Consciousness is not the sum of data points. It is not about knowing “what” but experiencing “why.” AI cannot grasp the need for salvation, compassion, or moral responsibility. It cannot feel guilt, empathy, or transcendence. These belong exclusively to human experience.

By confusing artificial mimicry with real awareness, society risks entrusting AI with decisions it is fundamentally unqualified to make—whether in governance, ethics, or spirituality. NST insists that we must not abdicate our responsibility to discern right from wrong to machines.

AI and Festivals: Between Utility and Spirituality

Festivals are not merely rituals; they are reminders of deeper truths. Durga Puja, for instance, symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, courage over fear, and wisdom over ignorance. When such festivals are digitized, there is both gain and loss.

On one hand, digital tools democratize participation. Migrants can witness rituals online, AI-generated decorations reduce costs, and virtual reality creates immersive experiences. On the other hand, there is a risk of reducing festivals to spectacles without substance. Clicking “like” on an AI-crafted Durga idol is not the same as experiencing the collective spirit of devotion in a pandal.

NST proposes a middle path: use AI as a tool to facilitate accessibility, but do not allow it to replace the consciousness that festivals aim to awaken. The festival must remain a celebration of human connection, not a triumph of algorithms.

Needonomics Mandate: AI in Service of Needs, Not Greed

The central mandate of Needonomics is to prioritize needs over greed. AI, if left unchecked, easily becomes an instrument of greed—driven by profit, consumerism, and exploitation. From deepfakes to manipulative algorithms, the monkey mind of AI often caters to baser instincts rather than higher aspirations.

NST calls for integrating SI into our approach to AI. This means framing policies, ethics, and applications that align AI with human needs—education, health, environmental sustainability, and spiritual growth. Instead of competing with human consciousness, AI must complement it.

By applying Needonomics, we can ensure that AI enhances human dignity, strengthens moral values, and promotes inclusive well-being. This is the path toward a society where technology serves life rather than the other way around.

Conclusion:

The misuse of AI as a monkey mind must be balanced with the monk mind of spiritual intelligence. Pure consciousness, as authenticated in Gita and Anu-Gita, is beyond AI. While AI is an illusion of the human mind, human beings have the potential for salvation and Jeevan Mukti through self-awareness and discipline. Festivals remind us of the higher truths of existence. As they go digital, the challenge before us is not to let the spectacle overshadow the spirit. NST provides the guiding principle: AI is a miracle, but it is not a master. It must remain a servant to human consciousness, aligned with the monk mind of SI. Only then can humanity use AI responsibly—fulfilling needs without feeding greed, and progressing toward salvation with clarity and purpose.