RESISTANCE × AI CHANGE

Resistance × AI Change is a one-page strategic brief on why AI transformation succeeds or fails based on human psychology, not algorithms. It explains the core sources of resistance: permanent opacity (AI’s inherent unknowability), identity threat (loss of meaningful work), and silent pretending, where 40% of employees claim to understand AI to avoid embarrassment. It also shows the psychological safety multiplier, where high-safety environments reach 68% confidence in AI versus 42% in low-safety ones, regardless of training quality. The document outlines how frontline teams, middle managers, and leaders each experience AI differently, and why traditional change management overlooks these dynamics. It concludes with practical direction: transparent communication, role-specific impact mapping, documented upskilling paths, and authenticity about uncertainty—all essential for building trust faster than the tools themselves.