09/03/2026
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, behavioral scientist, CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and author of eight books including The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work, joins John Pezoulas to unpack why AI rollouts fail even when the technology itself is easy to use. The conversation focuses on the human side of adoption, from fear and identity threat to shame and leadership modeling, plus how those same dynamics shape remote work, bias reduction, and the skills workers will need in the 2030s.
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We discuss:
Why the biggest AI adoption mistake is treating AI like normal enterprise software instead of a psychological change
The three major emotional blockers to AI adoption: fear and anxiety, identity threat, and shame
The three user profiles Dr. Tsipursky sees most often: AI alarmists, pragmatic resistors, and reluctant adopters
Why “shadow AI” happens when employees use AI privately but hide it from managers
How leaders can reduce resistance by focusing first on hated tasks, not prized work
The limits of reassurance in a low-trust environment where layoffs are already happening
How to use AI to reduce bias in performance reviews and hiring by red teaming your own data
Why the future of AI work is less about certifications and more about portfolios of AI agents
How managers will need to supervise both people and agent workflows
Why AI adoption is likely to accelerate remote work rather than reverse it
Which jobs are most exposed first: white-collar, non-regulated roles without certification barriers
Which roles are likely safer longer: certified professions and blue-collar work in uncontrolled environments
