The psychology behind AI resistance: What CIOs need to know

Technology has developed quickly over the past two and a half decades. Cloud, mobile devices and automation have all changed how and where employees get their work done. The technological landscape today looks vastly different from 2000, and despite some grumbles of, "But this is the way we've always done things," employees have largely come around to these developments. 

But something about AI feels different, said Sebastian Raaff, AI and innovation change director at Novartis, speaking at TechEx Global 2026 in London.  

"Some employees are resisting AI advancements because AI is fundamentally distinct in terms of speed, visibility and perceived threat compared to previous technology advancements," explains Raaff.  

But this resistance is not unique in history.  

"Although several concerns about AI may seem unique to the current technological landscape, they resonate with historical patterns of anxiety accompanying disruptive technologies," write Adi Frenkenberg and Guy Hochman in a study. "From the Industrial Revolution to the rise of digital technologies, these anxieties often stem from fears of displacement, erosion of social norms or loss of control, which mirror contemporary apprehensions about AI systems." 

These fears and apprehensions are not irrational. AI plays into humans' most primal fears and motivations. Twentieth-century psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs states that a foundation of physiological needs is followed by requirements representing the innate needs for security and stability, connection, self-esteem, and self-actualization. The speed of AI evolution – which, according to Raaff is daily -- and how it can output high-skill cognitive work instantly, affects employees' sense of security and competence at a deeply personal level. 

"If I've spent 20 years specializing in a process, and AI can replicate it at the click of a button, that massively undermines the confidence I've built in my competence," Raaff said. "And if, suddenly, I'm no longer the expert because AI can do it -- how do I feel in relation to my team, clients and partners?" 

Raaff believes it is this fear and uncertainty that CIOs and other leaders need to understand and engage with transparently.   

What is AI resistance in the workplace? 

The interplay between basic and more advanced human needs is leading to confusion, fear, distrust and fatigue toward AI. It's being experienced in varying degrees across all levels of organizations, regardless of how smart or capable an employee is, or what department they're in. This is driving both passive and active AI resistance, as well as superficial use.  

Active resistance to AI looks like vocally refusing to use AI tools or deliberately not using them properly by putting in erroneous inputs. Passive resistance often manifests as low usage and a more subtle tool avoidance. Superficial use can see employees using AI tools for tasks such as writing emails or for note-taking while holding an attitude of antipathy and cynicism toward them. It is these forms of resistance -- and what leads to them -- that CIOs need to understand and address openly.  

How should CIOs address this resistance? 

Raaff believes that too many senior leaders -- including CIOs -- are having very superficial conversations about AI, which is driving some of the resistance.  

"Executives need to ask themselves, 'What is the benefit of AI for humanity, for our company and for our employees -- and are we communicating these benefits transparently?'"  

If executives don't, Raaff said, it can leave employees worried and uncertain about intent. 

CIOs also need to be comfortable with the fact that employees will ask tough questions about AI. Raaff said leaders must understand that employees will ask confronting questions about job security and how AI aligns with company values. If leaders do not get comfortable with employees' intrigue and apprehensions, employees will sense this and not trust either the AI tools or management. 

"If executives don't do this, CIOs may build the best thing they've ever built, but without employees using it or getting any real value from it," says Raaff.  

Mark Beccue, principal analyst for AI at Omdia, agrees with Raaff that CIOs need to clearly communicate their AI vision to workers. He also believes CIOs need to focus on AI's strengths and be honest about its weaknesses.  

"AI cannot do everything. It struggles with emotional intelligence and will continue to struggle -- perhaps forever -- with nuanced human communication," Beccue said. "It doesn't understand sentiment or sarcasm well." 

Humans will thrive in the AI era in job functions that require emotional intelligence and abstract and non-linear thinking, Beccue said.  

"Humans have the ability to connect ideas that don't logically go together," Beccue said. "Think of Newton, the apple and gravity. Humans are best suited for roles that focus on strategy, innovation, creativity, arts, R&D, product management, branding, psychology, architecture and consulting." 

Build AI tools with employees, not just for them 

Another way that CIOs can help overcome employee AI resistance is to build with employees, not for them. This means that teams are active participants in the creation of AI tools, rather than just being told to use them by product teams once they're developed.  

"The goal is that employees should see the early versions of tools, even when the output isn't very useful, so that they can provide feedback on issues," Raaff said. "Ideally, when they see the final product, it's not the first time they've seen it. They've seen it grow and feel safe and familiar with it." 

It is also crucial that CIOs design for AI adoption and not just hope for it.  

"Change management should start before the minimum viable product. This means involving human resources, learning and development, communications, risk, legal and compliance, and line managers," Raaff said.  

Beccue believes that CIOs can get humans on board with AI by building workflows that allow humans to add expertise and nuance. 

"CIOs need to get familiar with the lanes that AI handles well, such as routine inquiries or assisting human support teams with personalized data," Beccue said. "Additionally, with customer service automation in full swing, CIOs should factor in how humans can work together with AI to help sophisticated escalation protocols. An example is if an AI agent is handling an issue and gets stuck, the system should immediately introduce a human."  

The CIO's advantage  

CIOs have the advantage of championing the benefits of a business's AI adoption from the inside out. They can play an instrumental role in helping employees build a genuine sense of trust, psychological safety, and ownership around AI by being transparent, empathetic and engaged. This approach minimizes the risk of AI deployments failing. The chance to do this should not be squandered: Employees who see the journey accept the destination.