Practical wisdom, emerging technologies, and AI

This paper examines the association between practical wisdom (phronesis) and individuals’ engagement with emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), within higher education and broader social contexts. Across two studies, we explored whether practically wise individuals approach transformative emerging technologies in more reflective and ethically grounded ways. In Study 1 (a representative US adult sample), we introduced and validated the constructs of Techno-Optimism and Techno-Ethical Concern. Structural equation modelling revealed that phronesis predicted higher Techno-Optimism and lower Techno-Ethical Concern, suggesting a balanced, morally engaged stance toward innovation. In Study 2 (Spanish university students), we validated the Spanish version of the Short Phronesis Measure and found that students higher in phronesis engaged with AI tools less frequently but with greater ethical reflection and positive moral emotions. Together, these findings suggest that practical wisdom predicts individuals’ reasoning and behaviour around emerging technologies, offering a framework for fostering principled innovation in education.