AI And The Ongoing Divisional Debate Between Mindfulness Versus Meditation

In today’s column, I examine the debate between mindfulness and meditation and show how to use generative AI and large language models to help you in either pursuit. Some believe that mindfulness and meditation are the same. Others insist that they are entirely different from each other.

One viewpoint about them being different is that mindfulness has to do with becoming highly aware of what is going on around you and entails outward attentiveness, while meditation is an inward focus. A person in meditation is calm, settled, and centered in their mind. A person who is mindful has heightened awareness and notices newness. In any case, when using AI to assist you with becoming more mindful or to be meditative, I provide prompts that can guide AI toward the avenue you prefer to pursue.

Let’s talk about it. This analysis of AI breakthroughs is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).

Intertwining AI And Psychology

As a quick background, I’ve been extensively covering and analyzing a myriad of psychological facets regarding the advent of modern-era AI that produces mental health advice and performs AI-driven therapy. This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI and LLMs such as ChatGPT, GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, and others. For a recap of my two hundred analyses and postings about AI and mental health, see the link here and the link here. I frequently speak up about these pressing matters, including in an appearance on an episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes; see the link here.

AI And Mindfulness

Meditation Or Mindfulness

Many Twists And Turns

I am not going to try to settle the debate here on whether mindfulness and meditation are the same or not. Scholars and practitioners will continue to banter back-and-forth on the meanings for years to come. It is an unsettled topic that remains muddled.