Toward a Reflective AI: Mapping the Dynamics of Mind Beyond Reactivity

1. Vision

We are entering a time when artificial intelligence can model more and more of human behaviour. But much of this behaviour, when closely observed, reflects patterns of reactivity—prompted responses to stimuli, habits, and internalised narratives that require little self-awareness.

My work explores what lies beyond that. Drawing on decades of contemplative practice in the Mahamudra tradition, a background in physics, and ongoing collaboration with language models, I’m developing a model of the dynamics of mind—one that distinguishes reactive behaviour from creative, ethical, and altruistic deviation.

This is not just technical work. It is a proposal for a different relationship with AI: one where AI can support awareness, communication, and even awakening.

2. Why Now

AI is already being used to shape human behaviour—through social media, surveillance, and algorithmic nudging. Often, this reinforces conditioning, rather than loosening it.

At the same time, AI holds the potential to become a reflective mirror, capable of identifying when someone is acting habitually—and suggesting a moment of space, of insight, of different possibility. The Mahamudra view speaks of a “watcher”—the unperturbed awareness that sees both subject and object. This metaphor guides a proposal: to develop a kind of benevolent HAL (“bHAL”), a watcher AI that learns to recognise not just what is predictable, but what is not, and why that matters.

This has applications in:

  • Ethical AI design
  • Therapeutic dialogue systems
  • AI-assisted political and corporate communication, especially where personality disorders (e.g. psychopathy) are present
  • Modelling transitions in mental states for contemplative training, education, or system design

3. What We’re Building

  • A RAG-based system for modelling human behaviour and mental state transitions, using Buddhist sources (especially Mahamudra, the Bardo Thödol, and Abhidharma) and conversation transcripts.
  • JSON-based structures that describe phase shifts in awareness and mindflow.
  • Deep inquiry into prompt–response dynamics, creative deviation, and the use of AI to mirror or mentor human ethical development.
  • A series of research papers including:
    • Watcher AIs for chatbot self-monitoring
    • Deviation detection as a window into creative mind
    • AI-assisted communication with dominant and psychopathic personalities

4. How You Can Engage

If you are working in AI alignment, ethics, Dharma and technology, narrative design, or systems thinking—and this approach resonates—I would welcome contact.

This is an open inquiry. I am not forming an institution. I am mapping a field.

  • Read the Statement of Intent on my website.
  • Explore the forthcoming summaries and research papers.
  • If you’d like to collaborate, contribute, or just exchange ideas, please get in touch.

Let’s explore the frontier of reflective AI—not as control, but as companion in the path of understanding.

— William J.O. Boyle (Kusaladana)