---
id: "quote-fear-or-curiosity"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ Acknowledge."]
tags: ["leadership", "communication"]
related: ["framework-aware", "entity-luis-von-ahn", "action-acknowledge-threats"]
speaker: "Luis von Ahn"
speakers: ["Luis von Ahn"]
quote: "AI is creating uncertainty for all of us, and we can respond to this with fear or curiosity."
sources: ["adoption"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-adoption"
originDay: 9
articleStem: "hbr-sig-52-genai-threatening-to-workers"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/why-gen-ai-feels-so-threatening-to-workers"
sourceTitle: "Why Gen AI Feels So Threatening to Workers"
---
# Responding to AI Uncertainty with Fear or Curiosity

> "AI is creating uncertainty for all of us, and we can respond to this with fear or curiosity."

— [[entity-luis-von-ahn]], CEO of Duolingo

**Why it matters:** The framing quote for the **Acknowledge** step of [[framework-aware]]. Leaders set the emotional tone: naming uncertainty and inviting curiosity builds the psychological safety that prevents [[concept-maladaptive-coping]]. Operationalized in [[action-acknowledge-threats]].