Artificial Intelligence: The Servant and Not the Master: A Pracademic Polymodern View

Initial Thoughts: I am not opposed to using AI as a tool. I find functional value in its use for providing support, answering questions, and testing ideas in a closed-loop system. The challenge is that institutions are hung up on AI, creating concern about where the clear line between what it is and what it is not lies.

The Core Principle: Stephen Covey advocated this, and today he would say that AI is a servant, not a master. The tool provides productivity benefits but still requires human guidance.

The Pracademic Perspective: Systems-management standpoints also emphasize that humans must be in the workflow loop, as we are the primary architects. The moment AI moves from being a specialized resource that is no longer managed to a decision-making authority that overrides human authority, the organization and system implode. 

The Polymodern Synthesis: Polymodernity views AI not as choosing between the individual and the machine, but as synthesizing human values with intentionality that enables deliberate acceleration. The key to success is not tool subservience but a character-based approach in which the human curates the solution designed to address worldwide issues. 

Final Thoughts: Embracing AI is vital for enhancing human agency, not surrendering to it. The value lies not in ceding human authority but in aligning technological capabilities with deeply held character principles. That is something that would make Covey proud.