As teams start using AI more in day-to-day work, I’ve been hearing a similar reaction across a number of businesses. The tools don’t always behave the way people expect. Outputs vary. One person gets a great result, while another struggles to get anything useful at all.

At the same time, there’s often a second layer of friction. Teams aren’t always aligned on how or when to use AI, or even why it matters for their role. Some lean in quickly. Others hesitate or work around it. What looked like a simple “tool rollout” starts to feel uneven.

It’s easy to assume the issue is the technology itself. In many cases, it isn’t.

AI tends to interact directly with how work actually gets done in a business. It surfaces when processes are loosely defined, when expectations differ among team members, and when key knowledge isn’t clearly shared. Things that worked fine when handled manually can start to break down when AI gets involved.

In many ways, this isn’t new. I've seen the same pattern with CRM systems, marketing platforms, project tools, and other business technology for years. When a tool doesn’t work as expected, it’s often not the tool. It’s unclear, process, inconsistent usage, or different assumptions across the team. AI just brings those gaps into sharper focus, faster.

In practice, what usually helps is not trying to force the tool to be perfect, but stepping back and tightening a few fundamentals. Once these pieces are more consistent, the AI tends to perform more consistently as well:

• Clarifying how a process is supposed to work
• Defining what a good output actually looks like
• Make it easier for the team to follow the same approach instead of each person figuring it out on their own

When the process is clearer and the team is aligned, AI becomes much more useful. It starts to support the business rather than expose friction.

If you’re seeing some of this in your own environment, you’re not alone. It’s a normal part of integrating AI into any business.

If this resonates, feel free to reply and share what you’re noticing. Or, if it’s helpful to talk through a specific situation, you’re also welcome to schedule a short conversation here: https://mcnarymarketing.com/25

Your Favorite Technologist,

—Joshua

P.S. Considering AI use cases in your business? Check out my "AI Opportunity Assessment" offer. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I use AI to help write emails like these. I review & edit all AI-assisted work I publish.