Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in decisions affecting healthcare, education, the legal system, and sustainability, raising questions about human dignity, moral agency, and accountability. This conceptual study synthesizes 20 peer-reviewed studies to develop a philosophical perspective on responsible AI governance. It draws on Kantian ethics, virtue ethics, Islamic metaphysics, and contemporary critical theory to examine AI’s status as a moral agent and the implications of AI use for human-centered governance. The synthesis highlights a recurring tension between technological determinism and the need to keep human welfare and responsibility central. It suggests that current AI systems should be treated as tools rather than autonomous moral agents, with accountability resting on the people and institutions that design, deploy, and oversee them. The paper proposes an interdisciplinary governance framework that integrates human dignity, transparency, accountability, and inclusivity throughout the AI lifecycle. By connecting ethical principles with institutional and sectoral challenges, this framework offers guidance for aligning AI development and use with human welfare and social justice.