Published on: November 3, 2026 at 8:04 am
Business leaders are failing to deal with the widespread fear of an artificial intelligence-fueled future. That’s the view of Academy of Management Scholar Adam Galinsky of the Columbia Business School, who said that given the anticipated pain of transformed professions and lost jobs, people need their leaders to communicate a clear vision of how AI will support workers rather than replace jobs.
“The two most important questions about vision that leaders must answer are: ‘What’s the positive purpose of AI?’ and then ‘What’s the pathway to reach that positive purpose?” Galinsky said.
“Leaders need to define the core values of their organizations and how AI is going to help implement or achieve those core values in a way that is beneficial to employees rather than a replacement of employees,” he said.
Research confirms that the greatest fear people have about AI is being replaced and their skills becoming outdated or redundant. People want to know how they are going to get the skills they need to work with AI.
“Ironically enough, people don’t even want to touch AI, because if they touch it, they might play a role in their own replacement,” Galinsky said. “My research shows that we when people feel they’re valued by the organization they become more open to exploring AI – to use it and think about it.
“It really starts with this fundamental value of respect,” he said. “If I feel that I’m respected, I’m important, and I matter to my organization.
“Then the fear of replacement goes down because employees feel like there’s going to be a pathway forward.”
Even when the pathway forward is not clear, honest communication is vital, especially when it comes to worker anxiety caused by automation and new technologies.
“Leaders must communicate even when they don’t have the answers—they need to be honest and acknowledge that AI has the possibility of disrupting how we do our work,” Galinsky said. “But we’re going to always update you as we integrate AI, and we are always looking for ways to help you deal more effectively with whatever the future brings.
“That honesty and reassurance not only demonstrate empathy and long-term understanding, but also show that I am in control,” he said. “The combination of vision, protection, and empathy are the three universal foundations of inspiring others.”
