The Psychology of AI Adoption

Data from a 2025 Psychology Today article reveals that employees may resist AI due to personality-driven unlearning barriers—a challenge leaders must address strategically.

For business leaders, the single most critical competency in the AI era isn’t technical skill—it’s the willingness to constantly change.

As AI transforms workflows, employees must not only learn new skills but also unlearn entrenched habits. This "unlearning" is a strategic capability—one that varies dramatically across personalities. A June 2025 Psychology Today article, "The Art of Unlearning to Make Way for AI," examines how the Big Five personality traits influence an individual's capacity to 'unlearn' outdated practices and adapt to AI-driven change. In the context of an organization, understanding these differences can mean the difference between seamless AI integration and costly resistance.

WHY PERSONALITY MATTERS IN AI ADOPTION

The Big Five (OCEAN) personality traits—backed by decades of psychological research—reveal how teams will likely respond to AI-driven change. While most individuals fall in the middle ranges, tailoring your approach to extremes can accelerate adoption.

Openness to Experience: The Innovators vs. The Traditionalists

Openness is the most influential factor in predicting an individual’s ability to “unlearn.”

• High (15-20% of employees): Natural early adopters. They thrive on experimentation.

  • Leadership Lever: Delegate them as AI "champions" to pilot tools and evangelize benefits.

• Low (25-30%): Prefer stability. May distrust unproven tech.

  • Mitigation: Introduce AI incrementally with clear ROI (e.g., "This tool cuts reporting time by 30%").

Extraversion: The Collaborators vs. The Independents

• High (30-40%): Embrace AI if it fosters human connection (e.g., AI-driven analytics for client meetings).

  • Leadership Lever: Use AI to automate solo tasks, freeing them for high-value interactions.

• Low: May prefer AI autonomy. Ensure tools don’t isolate them.

Agreeableness: The Team Players vs. The Skeptics

• High (35-45%): Adopt AI if framed as a team win (e.g., "This reduces admin burden for your department").

  • Pitfall: Over-trust in AI outputs. Train for healthy scrutiny.

• Low: Competitive types may resist "shared" tools. Highlight individual advantages.

Conscientiousness: The Precisionists vs. The Adaptables

• High (30-35%): Excel in structure. AI disruptions trigger inefficiency fears.

  • Leadership Lever: Position AI as a precision enhancer: "This automates errors, so your expertise shines."

• Low: More flexible but may overlook details.

  • Mitigation: Pair AI with accountability checkpoints.

Neuroticism: The Anxious vs. The Resilient

• High (20-25%): Fear job displacement or mistakes.

  • Leadership Lever: Transparent upskilling paths (e.g., "AI handles data entry so you can lead strategy").

• Low: Calm but may underestimate risks. Stress-test AI outputs together.

STRATEGIC TAKE AWAYS FOR THE C-SUITE

1. Audit Your Workforce: Include personality assessments (e.g., OCEAN) in your technology plan to better understand willingness to change and AI readiness.

2. Segment Messaging: Tailor messaging around AI rollouts and pilots by trait. No group is homogenous, but you can make some assumptions (e.g., extraversion is highest in sales & leadership roles and neuroticism is lowest in high-stress jobs like healthcare).

3. Address Fears Proactively: Especially for high Neuroticism/Conscientiousness teams, emphasize control and upskilling.

4. Partner for a Friction-free Transition: AI adoption isn’t just a technical shift—it’s a cultural and operational transformation. SRO Advisors can help create an AI readiness and workforce transition plan that aligns technology, talent, and strategy.

Future-proof your team: Contact SRO Advisors today to customize your AI transition roadmap.