Sr. Ilia Delio on AI, Evolution, and Who We’re Becoming

Sr. Ilia Delio, OSF, joins Peter and Mercedes for a conversation that weaves theology, science, and technology into a hopeful and challenging vision for the future. Drawing on Teilhard de Chardin’s evolutionary theology, she invites us to see AI not merely as a tool but as part of the unfolding of creation itself. Together, they explore what it means to become more whole, more relational, and more deeply rooted in divine love in an age shaped by artificial intelligence.

Topics Covered:

• AI as human augmentation and biological extension
• The theology of Teilhard de Chardin and cosmic evolution
• The Adamic myth and how it influences modern perspectives on technology
• AI, collective consciousness, and global interconnectedness
• The ethical implications of AI in a capitalist system
• Defining personhood in an evolutionary worldview
• Moving from categorical to networked thinking in younger generations
• Developing spiritual practices alongside technological advancement
• Living from our God-centered being while engaging AI

Resources Mentioned:

• Ilia Delio, Re-enchanting the Earth
• Ilia Delio, Integral Ecology in an Age of AI
• Teilhard de Chardin
• David Noble, The Religion of Technology
• Catherine Hales, How We Became Posthuman
• Erich Jantsch, The Self-Organizing Universe: Scientific and Human Implications of the Emerging Paradigm of Evolution

• (00:08) - Does AI enhance or diminish face-to-face connection?
• (00:17) - Cultivating a mindset that feels at home with AI
• (00:34) - Teilhard: Humanity has a “God problem” with AI
• (00:35) - David Noble: AI is enhancing human function and capacity
• (00:42) - Peter Singer: AI might help us recover broader moral thinking
• (00:44) - Mercedes: Complexity is driving today’s evolution
• (00:50) - Teilhard: Love is at the heart of all cosmic life
• (00:55) - What are we living into in this moment of AI development?
• (00:56) - A critique of AI based on the social media era
• (00:56) - Reflections from the Episcopal Church’s AI ethics task force