As a stress physiologist, I’ve spent my career studying how the human brain reacts to perceived threats. Right now, AI is registering as one of the biggest threats in the modern workplace, and most companies are budgeting for the
wrong problem.
Every AI rollout accounts for licensing costs, integration timelines and training hours. Almost none account for the nervous system on the receiving end. Our stress response evolved to protect us from things that could end our lives, and it hasn’t caught up to the fact that most modern “threats” won’t. When employees watch AI erode skills they’ve spent years building, their brains respond as they would to a predator: freeze, flee or fight the change outright. That shows up as quiet resistance and disengagement no onboarding deck will fix.
Here’s what the research has taught me: the goal was never to eliminate that response, but to redirect it. Stress is data, not a verdict, and it’s often the exact fuel needed for higher performance, if leaders know how to use it. That means naming the fear directly, telling people what will and won’t change in their roles and building competence before expecting confidence.
That’s the difference between a workforce that survives AI adoption and one that grows because of it.
At Ignite AI, I'll unpack the physiology behind this response and the science-backed technique I use to turn instinctive fear into fuel.
Mike Bechtel will explore how AI is reshaping the way we work, and why the organizations that thrive will be those that understand the evolving relationship between people and technology.
Dr. Rebecca Heiss will discuss practical strategies for leading through uncertainty, managing change and helping teams stay resilient as AI transforms the workplace.