The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi is a Buddhist monk, philosopher, and educator who is deeply engaged in the ethical and empathetic dimensions of learning. He holds leadership roles at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, serving as the director of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT, a nonpartisan think tank—founded by six Nobel Peace Prize laureates—focused on interdisciplinary research and programs that advance individual and global ethics. Additionally, Priyadarshi is crafting a framework to guide the ethical governance of artificial intelligence at Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

His commitment to compassion and ethics was shaped early on by his ordination by the Dalai Lama and observations of Mother Teresa’s work in India, complemented by his academic pursuits in philosophy, physics, and international relations. His achievements have been recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Harvard University in 2013, where he also co-chaired the Harvard Buddhist Community and received the inaugural Peter J. Gomes STB ’68 Memorial Honors.

Priyadarshi’s influence extends beyond academia as a Tribeca Disruptive Fellow, a former fellow at Stanford, a founding principal of the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund, and a founding member of the Council for Extended Intelligence. His leadership is further acknowledged through his service on the boards of various academic, humanitarian, and religious organizations.