Existential Sovereignty: A Theory of Human Flourishing in AI-Mediated Environments

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming how individuals learn, work, communicate, create, and make decisions. Although existing scholarship has advanced understanding of human flourishing, existential meaning, responsible AI, and human-centered technology, comparatively little attention has been given to the human capacity required to preserve human authorship while engaging increasingly capable intelligent systems. This conceptual paper addresses that gap by introducing Existential Sovereignty Theory (EST), a middle-range theory explaining how individuals maintain authorship over the fundamental domains of human existence within AI-mediated environments. Developed through an integrative conceptual approach, EST synthesizes insights from existential psychology, positive psychology, Conscious Intelligence, and Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence to propose Existential Sovereignty as the central human capacity linking AI engagement with sustained human flourishing. The theory conceptualizes AI as a cognitive partner that augments, but does not replace, human agency and proposes that Existential Sovereignty is expressed through six interconnected Domains of Human Authorship: meaning, identity, judgment, values, responsibility, and authentic relationships. Collectively, these domains explain how individuals preserve human authorship while benefiting from AI-supported cognition. The paper further presents the theory's foundational assumptions, dynamic operation, and theoretical propositions, and discusses its implications for education, healthcare, organizational leadership, AI governance, and future research. By shifting scholarly attention from technological capability to the preservation of human authorship, EST provides a novel theoretical framework for understanding human flourishing in increasingly AI-mediated societies and establishes a foundation for future empirical research, including development of the Existential Sovereignty Scale (ESS). Keywords: Artificial intelligence; existential sovereignty; human flourishing; human authorship; human-centered AI; Conscious Intelligence; existential psychology; theory development. Title: Existential Sovereignty: A Theory of Human Flourishing in AI-Mediated Environments Author: Dr. David Augustine Bull International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations ISSN 2348-1218 (print), ISSN 2348-1226 (online) Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026 Page No: 137-157 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 28-September-2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23009639 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/existential-sovereignty-a-theory-of-human-flourishing-in-ai-mediated-environments