The 5 emotional stages of adopting AI software agents (and Why It’s Worth It)

“At first, it feels like the AI is taking over — but soon you realize it’s giving you your time back.”

Adopting AI software agents is not a journey everyone takes lightly. While its potential to simplify workflows, boost productivity, and even eliminate mundane tasks is enticing, embracing this new wave of technology often involves going through certain “stages.” Let’s break these down:

1. Denial

”I don’t need help — I’ve always done this task just fine on my own!”This stage starts with resistance: “Why would I need an AI agent? I already have my tools and workflows. Do we really need to overcomplicate things with more automation?” Whether it’s interacting with spreadsheets, coding processes, or customer management workflows, we often cling to our tried-and-tested methods.It’s not uncommon for users to undervalue the benefits of AI agents at first, believing they’re already working as efficiently as possible. Spoiler alert: They usually aren’t.

2. Anger

”This AI doesn’t understand me at all; I’ve been doing this for years!”Once you reluctantly try out an AI agent, frustrations can run high. Perhaps the AI misunderstands a command, seems to take longer than expected, or suggests workflows you already know. Cue the…