Entry 02 | Decision Authority and the Fear of Delegation

For centuries, decision authority has been tied to human agents not only because of judgment capacity, but because of symbolic position. Decision-makers carry responsibility, recognition, and legitimacy. When AI enters decision-making roles, this arrangement is unsettled.

The disruption is not primarily about outcomes. In many domains, AI systems demonstrate consistency and accuracy that rival or exceed human performance. The tension emerges from delegation itself. When decisions are assigned to systems without identity, societies lose familiar anchors for attributing responsibility and credit.

Power in modern societies often operates through the ability to decide on behalf of others. AI exposes this dynamic. When systems can recommend, rank, or exclude without a visible decision-maker, established power roles blur. This blurring triggers defensive reactions even in the absence of immediate harm.

Fear of delegation is frequently framed as ethical or safety concern. At a structural level, it reflects anxiety over losing central positioning. As decisions no longer require human presence at every step, roles grounded in judgment authority begin to destabilize.

AI does not force delegation. It presents the option. Strong reactions arise when societies are unprepared to confront who truly holds decision authority and on what basis. In this context, AI becomes a focal point for long-standing tensions surrounding power and responsibility.