The Augmentation Principle is the design philosophy that AI systems should be built to enhance human cognitive capabilities rather than substitute for them. It's a deliberate counter-position to the automation mindset that seeks to remove humans from processes. Under this principle, the measure of a good AI implementation is not how many humans it replaces, but how much it amplifies the judgment, creativity, and strategic capacity of the humans who remain. It's the foundation of sustainable human-AI collaboration.