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  • January–February 2025
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

Why People Resist Embracing AI

By: Julian De Freitas
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:5
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Abstract

The success of AI depends not only on its capabilities, which are becoming more advanced each day, but on people’s willingness to harness them. Unfortunately, many people view AI negatively, fearing it will cause job losses, increase the likelihood that their personal data will be misused, and even attack humanity someday. Behind this resistance are perceptions that AI is too opaque, emotionless, rigid, and independent and that interacting with humans is preferable. This article explores each one of those psychological barriers to adoption and describes interventions managers can undertake to counter them and make employees more comfortable with using AI tools.

Keywords

AI and Machine Learning; Technology Adoption; Perception

Citation

De Freitas, Julian. "Why People Resist Embracing AI." Harvard Business Review 103, no. 1 (January–February 2025): 52–56.
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About The Author

Julian De Freitas

Marketing
→More Publications

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    • July–August 2025
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More from the Author
  • Don’t Let an AI Failure Harm Your Brand By: Julian De Freitas
  • Ideation with Generative AI—In Consumer Research and Beyond By: Julian De Freitas, G. Nave and Stefano Puntoni
  • Is Personal Identity Intransitive? By: J. De Freitas and L. J. Rips
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