The Generalized Theory of Digital Augmentation (GTDA): A Systems-Level Framework for Human–AI Cognitive Symbiosis

This paper presents the Generalized Theory of Digital Augmentation (GTDA), a formal and extensible framework for modeling how individuals and collectives enhance cognition, decision-making, and self-evolution through structured interaction with artificial intelligence (AI). GTDA defines human-AI augmentation as a dynamic function of cognitive traits, system friction, interaction depth, and alignment quality. It integrates principles from cognitive science, control theory, behavioral economics, and systems engineering. The document introduces GTDA through a formal mathematical equation set and layered component definitions. It includes real-world case studies, a proposed architecture for an executive cognitive system named Naomi, and a call for the establishment of a new interdisciplinary scientific field: Digital Augmentation Sciences (DAS). Topics addressed include: Real-time human-AI co-agency Cognitive scaffolding and executive function modeling Feedback loops, friction modeling, and user state estimation Ethics of augmentation and cognitive sovereignty Applications in neurodiversity, education, and organizational knowledge systems The work is intended as both a theoretical foundation and a practical framework for developing next-generation augmentation technologies that are ethically aligned, cognitively transparent, and evolutionarily adaptive.