---
id: "quote-performative-usage"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ Why Anxiety Can Increase AI Use and Still Stall Results", "¶20"]
tags: ["adoption-anti-patterns"]
related: ["concept-performative-ai-usage", "claim-usage-not-buy-in"]
speaker: "Erin Eatough, Keith Ferrazzi, Wendy Smith and Shonna Waters"
speakers: ["Erin Eatough", "Keith Ferrazzi", "Wendy Smith", "Shonna Waters"]
quote: "This helps explain why AI rollouts can look successful on the surface—licenses activated, tools used—while failing to deliver durable impact. In these cases, usage reflects self-protection rather than genuine confidence or innovation."
sources: ["tail2"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-tail2"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-tail-127-ai-adoption-stalls"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/02/why-ai-adoption-stalls-according-to-industry-data"
sourceTitle: "Why AI Adoption Stalls, According to Industry Data"
---
# Usage Reflects Self-Protection

> "This helps explain why AI rollouts can **look successful on the surface**—licenses activated, tools used—while **failing to deliver durable impact**. In these cases, usage reflects **self-protection** rather than genuine confidence or innovation."

— [[entity-erin-eatough]], [[entity-keith-ferrazzi]], [[entity-wendy-smith]] and [[entity-shonna-waters]]

The evidentiary hook for [[claim-usage-not-buy-in]] and a vivid statement of [[concept-performative-ai-usage]].