Agents as Assistants, Archivists, and Translators
I want to start this chapter by addressing something that might feel confusing: what are AI agents, really? And how should we think about them?
I've noticed that there's a lot of confusion about this. Some people think of AI agents as synthetic personalities—autonomous entities that can think and create on their own. Others think of them as just tools—passive instruments that execute commands.
But I think both of those framings miss something important. AI agents are neither synthetic personalities nor passive tools. They're something in between: specialized assistants that can help with specific functions, but that require human oversight and direction.
So let's talk about what AI agents actually are, how they function, and what they're not. Because I think understanding this distinction matters for how we use them well.
What AI Agents Are
Let me be clear about what I mean by "AI agents." I'm talking about specialized AI systems that are trained for specific functions—content strategy, theological writing, audience adaptation, framework development. These aren't generic tools. They're purpose-built assistants designed to help with particular tasks.
AI agents are:
- Specialized systems trained for specific functions
- Assistants that help with particular tasks
- Tools that require human oversight and direction
- Systems that learn and adapt, but within boundaries
AI agents are not:
- Synthetic personalities that think and create autonomously
- Autonomous entities that make decisions on their own
- Replacements for human insight, judgment, or creativity
- Systems that operate without human oversight
This distinction matters. Because how we think about AI agents shapes how we use them. And if we think of them as synthetic personalities, we'll use them in ways that erode human agency. But if we think of them as specialized assistants, we'll use them in ways that amplify human capability.
Agents as Assistants
Let me start with the most obvious function: agents as assistants. This is what most people think of when they think about AI agents—systems that help you with tasks.
What assistants do:
- Help you structure your thinking
- Help you refine your writing
- Help you organize your ideas
- Help you execute tasks more efficiently
What assistants don't do:
- Think for you
- Make decisions for you
- Replace your insight or judgment
- Operate without your direction
Think about it like a research assistant. A good research assistant helps you find sources, organize information, structure arguments. But they don't write your paper for you. They don't make your arguments for you. They assist you in doing your work.
AI agents function like that. They assist you in creating content, developing ideas, executing tasks. But you're still the one creating, developing, executing. They're just helping.
Agents as Archivists
Here's a function that might be less obvious: agents as archivists. AI agents can help you preserve, organize, and access knowledge in ways that are really powerful.
What archivists do:
- Preserve your knowledge and insights
- Organize your content and ideas
- Make your work searchable and accessible
- Help you find and reference past work
What archivists don't do:
- Replace your memory or knowledge
- Create knowledge for you
- Organize without your input
- Archive without your oversight
Think about it like a library. A good library preserves books, organizes them, makes them accessible. But it doesn't write the books. It doesn't create the knowledge. It preserves and organizes what's already been created.
AI agents can function like that. They can preserve your knowledge, organize your content, make your work accessible. But you're still the one creating the knowledge. They're just preserving and organizing it.
This is particularly valuable for movement leaders. You've spent years developing frameworks, insights, theological understanding. And AI agents can help you preserve that, organize it, make it accessible—so you can build on it, reference it, amplify it.
Agents as Translators
Here's another function that might be less obvious: agents as translators. AI agents can help you adapt your content for different audiences, different contexts, different purposes.
What translators do:
- Adapt your content for different audiences
- Translate your ideas for different contexts
- Repurpose your content for different formats
- Help you communicate across boundaries
What translators don't do:
- Change your message or meaning
- Replace your voice or insight
- Translate without your oversight
- Adapt without your direction
Think about it like a human translator. A good translator helps you communicate across language barriers. But they don't change what you're saying. They don't replace your message. They translate it faithfully.
AI agents can function like that. They can help you adapt your content for different audiences, different contexts, different formats. But they don't change your message. They don't replace your voice. They translate it faithfully.
This is particularly valuable for movement leaders. You might have a sermon that needs to become a blog post, or a framework that needs to be adapted for different contexts, or content that needs to be repurposed for different formats. AI agents can help with that translation, while preserving your message and voice.
What Agents Are NOT
Before we go further, let me be clear about what AI agents are not. Because I think there's a lot of confusion about this.
Agents are not synthetic personalities. They don't have thoughts, feelings, or consciousness. They don't have their own agenda or autonomy. They're systems that process information and generate outputs based on training and input.
This distinction matters. Because if we think of agents as synthetic personalities, we'll use them in ways that erode human agency. We'll let them make decisions, create content, operate autonomously. And that's dangerous.
Agents are not autonomous creators. They don't create content on their own. They don't generate ideas independently. They don't operate without human direction. They require human input, oversight, and direction.
This distinction matters. Because if we think of agents as autonomous creators, we'll use them in ways that replace human creativity. We'll let them do the work instead of helping us do it. And that's the replacement problem we talked about earlier.
Agents are not replacements for human insight. They can help you think, but they can't think for you. They can help you create, but they can't create for you. They can help you communicate, but they can't communicate for you.
This distinction matters. Because if we think of agents as replacements for human insight, we'll use them in ways that erode what makes us human. We'll let them do what only humans can do. And that's dangerous.
The Boundaries of Agent Function
I want to be clear about the boundaries of what agents can and should do. Because I think understanding these boundaries is essential for using agents well.
Agents can:
- Assist with structure, formatting, organization
- Help with research, fact-checking, reference finding
- Aid in communication, adaptation, translation
- Support with archiving, organizing, accessing knowledge
Agents should not:
- Make theological or ethical decisions
- Generate content without human oversight
- Operate autonomously without direction
- Replace human insight, judgment, or creativity
These boundaries matter. Because they help us use agents in ways that amplify rather than replace, that assist rather than substitute, that support rather than supplant.
Specialized Agents vs. Generic Tools
I want to make an important distinction here: specialized agents are different from generic tools. And I think understanding that difference matters.
Generic tools are AI systems that aren't trained on your specific context, voice, or framework. They're general-purpose systems that can help with a wide range of tasks, but they don't understand your specific needs.
Specialized agents are AI systems that are trained specifically on your voice, your theology, your framework, your context. They understand your specific needs and can help in ways that preserve your distinctiveness.
This distinction matters. Because generic tools tend to homogenize. They make everything sound the same. But specialized agents can preserve distinctiveness. They can maintain your voice, your theology, your framework.
For movement leaders, specialized agents are particularly valuable. Because movement leaders have distinctive voices, theological frameworks, and practical wisdom. And specialized agents can help preserve and amplify that distinctiveness, rather than eroding it.
How to Use Agents Well
Let me give you some practical guidance on how to use agents well. Because I think having a framework helps.
First, understand what agents are good at. Agents are good at structure, organization, formatting, research, adaptation. They're not good at insight, judgment, creativity, theological thinking.
Second, maintain human oversight. When you're using agents, you need to maintain oversight. You need to evaluate outputs, check for accuracy, ensure alignment with your voice and framework.
Third, set clear boundaries. You need to know what agents do and what you do. You need to maintain control. You need to preserve what only you can provide.
Fourth, use specialized agents when possible. When you can, use specialized agents trained on your voice, your theology, your framework. They'll preserve your distinctiveness better than generic tools.
Fifth, remember the 70/30 rule. Agents handle logistics (70%). You provide insight, voice, credibility, soul (30%).
This framework helps you use agents in ways that amplify rather than replace, that assist rather than substitute.
What This Means for Movement Leaders
I want to pause here and speak directly to what this means for you, as a movement leader.
Movement leaders have distinctive voices, theological frameworks, and practical wisdom. And AI agents can help preserve and amplify that distinctiveness. They can assist you in creating content, archiving knowledge, translating ideas—all while maintaining what makes your work valuable.
But it requires intention. It requires boundaries. It requires specialized agents trained on your voice and framework. It requires human oversight.
The goal isn't to let agents do the work. The goal is to let agents assist you in doing the work better—more efficiently, more consistently, more effectively.
A Word of Encouragement
I know this chapter has been about agents and functions and boundaries. And that might feel technical or abstract.
But here's what I want you to know: agents are simpler than they sound. They're just specialized assistants that can help with specific tasks. They're not synthetic personalities. They're not autonomous creators. They're just tools that can assist you in doing your work.
And when you use them well—with boundaries, with oversight, with intention—they can amplify your impact without eroding your voice, your theology, or your credibility.
So don't overthink it. Just understand what agents are, what they're good at, and how to use them well. And then use them as assistants, archivists, and translators—not as synthetic personalities or autonomous creators.
What's Next
In the next chapter, we're going to explore something practical: the 70/30 rule. We're going to talk about how to balance AI efficiency with human refinement, how to maintain authenticity while gaining efficiency, and how to create sustainable content creation workflows.
For now, though, I want you to sit with what we've covered. What agents are. What they're good at. What they're not. How to use them well.
These aren't abstract concepts. They're affecting you right now. They're shaping how you use AI, how you create content, how you build credibility. And understanding that reality is the first step toward responding to it well.
So take a breath. Process what we've talked about. And when you're ready, we'll move forward together.
Reflection Questions:
1. How do you currently think about AI agents? What's your mental model?
2. Which function resonates most with you: assistants, archivists, or translators? Why?
3. What boundaries do you need to set to use agents well? What would that look like?
4. How does the distinction between specialized agents and generic tools matter for you?
5. What would it look like for you to use agents as assistants, archivists, and translators? What would that require?