News & Reflections

Semantic Sentinels: The Next Gateway for Human-First AI is through Advocacy

Narrative Research
A New Role for AI in the Age of Autonomy
As Agentic AI systems grow more powerful, we’re seeing the shift from execution to autonomy. But with that shift comes a quieter risk: when systems can act independently, who represents human intent inside those systems?
Everyone is talking about AI agents.
Few are asking who they truly serve.
Enter AI Advocacy
We believe the next essential AI role isn’t just a smarter agent or a more helpful assistant. We think it's a semantic attaché. A kind of intent-aware sentinel that doesn’t just act for you, but advocates with, through, and for you.
It's not automation or delegation.
It's representation.
In many ways, this mirrors what projects like EthicsNet began, giving machines a sense of pro-social behavior, a personal sense of values by teaching systems through examples, much like teaching young children.
But ethics alone isn’t enough.
In a perfect world, AI Advocacy could be the connective tissue between:
  • EthicsNet (moral grounding)
  • Agentic Models (systemic autonomy)
  • Semantic Infrastructure (routing intent)
We need ways to navigate the agentic web ahead.
We need systems that:
  • Reflect users' values in real time

  • Protect humans from being reduced to just data or user types

  • Mediate interactions between humans and autonomous agents

  • Maintain semantic clarity as intent travels across networks and tools
This principle is already modeled in our work on Purpose's arcs:
  • Privately, feedback is offered without performance metrics

  • Purposely, collaboration happens without pitch or pressure

  • Cover Story, your evolving narrative is part of the interface
Arcs are part of Purpose's deeper architecture, where AI doesn't just serve as an interface, but also as an advocate on behalf of the intent of its users.
As AI systems accelerate, we need a stable layer that preserves human meaning and ensures insights and outcomes stay aligned.
AI Advocacy provides that foundation.
It's being modeled to ensure that what moves is actually meaningful and directed, with the advocate acting as a semantic attaché, fielding autonomous agentic interactions based on your evolving intent.
Here is how it could help:
  • Deflect noise, field junk, increase focus
  • Prioritize goal aligning opportunities
  • Maintain context across platforms
  • Represent your intent in real time
In the real world, you'll get your attention back. You won't be managing systems or just doom scrolling to be entertained, get feedback, or collaborate with others. It'll just appear when your intent is aligned, in real time.
You can stay focused on being human and doing human things. You know, thinking, building, creating, having real conversations, connecting, building and growing purpose-driven local communities.
Reflection
If people don’t know what they mean, no AI will ever know what to do. For us, it's about intent, purpose, direction, alignment, and making sure the systems we build reflect the people they’re meant to serve. Please pass along:
  • Intent without semantics is just noise
  • AI without reflection is just repetitive
  • Motion without clarity is misdirected
Not on Purpose though.
Wisdom in motion.