Challenges in Automation: Why Tech Predictions for 2026 Face User Resistance
Automation predictions for 2026 usually sound confident: smarter agents, faster RPA, fewer manual steps, “workflow magic.” Yet the biggest blocker rarely lives in the model or the tooling. It lives in people. Users resist when automation feels confusing, risky, or imposed—especially when it changes identity (“what my job is”), control (“who decides”), and accountability (“who gets blamed”). So if your automation roadmap is strong but adoption is slow, you’re not alone. The pattern is predictable: new tools ship, productivity dips, teams complain, and leadership wonders why “obvious efficiency” didn’t materialize. This article breaks down why user resistance happens and how teams can design automation that users actually trust and use. TL;DR Resistance is rational: people push back when automation threatens control, creates extra steps, or increases perceived risk. Adoption follows two levers: perceived usefulness + perceived ease of use (classic Technolo...