Your arguments are rational and support a thesis that AI is a tool. It then becomes a matter of how effective the usage of the tool is, for the user/creator and other recipients/participants. The resulting intelligence rolls up and progresses according to the will and intent of all involved. I hope people are being honest with themselves as they employ AI. Here's another perspective. Take an AI application like automobile adaptive cruise control. When I use it, it feels like effortless spacing. All obstacles and opposing forces are neutralized. I feel as though I'm going with the flow. So much that when I'm not driving, going about my life, I find myself wanting to practice a form of adaptive cruise that tunes my soul to the universe. It's a good thing that I owe to tool technology as much innate skill.