Why the AI “friction phase” is a sign you’re doing it right

Every corporate announcement seems to be about an “AI-first” launch or a new agent. On paper, it looks like a revolution. On the ground, it feels a lot more like chaos. Rushing these tools out is slowing teams down, forcing endless rework, and confusing everyone involved. Naturally, when leaders see their teams slowing down after getting AI tools, they panic. The immediate assumption is often that the technology is broken or the strategy failed. But moving slower isn’t a sign of AI failure.…