We've Been Here Before: A Short History of Being Scared of New Technology

A small business owner looks confidently at a phone beside a welcoming elevator and symbols of changing technology

If AI makes you uneasy, you’re not behind. You’re having a very human reaction to a big change.

Small business owners have always had to decide whether a new tool is useful, risky, or simply too much to deal with right now. History won’t tell you exactly what AI will do next. But it can remind you that people have faced this kind of uncertainty before, and that the best way forward is usually to learn how to use a tool wisely, not pretend it isn’t there.

Episode 1 of our show “Getting Comfortable”: the history behind this article, in about four minutes. One host is AI-created; every word of business here is real.

The printing press didn’t make everyone comfortable

When printing spread through Europe, handwritten books didn’t immediately vanish. In 1492, Benedictine abbot Johannes Trithemius wrote In Praise of Scribes, defending the value of copying manuscripts by hand. He argued that parchment could last a thousand years, while he doubted printed paper books would survive two hundred.

His concern wasn’t just about the quality of a new tool. Printing changed who could make books and how quickly they could circulate. That raised real questions about the work of scribes and the reliability of what people read.

There’s a useful wrinkle, too: Trithemius had works of his own printed. He wasn’t simply rejecting the press. He was working out where the new tool fit, and what still mattered about the old way.

That’s familiar today. You may worry AI-generated content will sound generic or make your business feel less personal. That’s a fair concern. The answer isn’t to let a machine speak for you without review. It’s to use a tool for a first draft or a routine task, then bring your judgment, experience, and voice to the final result.

“Impossible” can have a short shelf life

On October 9, 1903, The New York Times published an editorial titled “Flying Machines Which Do Not Fly”. It estimated that a successful flying machine might be one to ten million years away.

Sixty-nine days later, on December 17, the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk.

That doesn’t mean every bold prediction about technology comes true, or that change is easy. It does show how quickly a confident forecast can age when people keep experimenting. If you wait until a new tool feels familiar to everyone, you may be waiting a long time.

The talking elevator helped people take the first ride

The elevator is a more personal story, because the fear wasn’t silly. Riders had to step into a small moving room and trust machinery they couldn’t see.

In 1952, The New York Times reported on tenants resisting the shift to self-service elevators. People who were used to an operator didn’t necessarily want to press a button and ride alone. Manufacturers responded with recorded voices that announced floors and helped guide passengers through the ride.

The technology didn’t become more understandable by itself. A little reassurance made it easier to use.

A friendly recorded voice helps a passenger feel at ease in a simple, modern elevator

The number of elevator operator jobs fell sharply over time. Census-based figures compiled in the research paper “Automating” show 85,294 operators in 1950 and 7,340 in 1980. That is a real change in work, not a reason to pretend nobody was affected.

But the talking elevator makes another point: people didn’t have to choose between a machine and feeling supported. Better guidance helped them use the machine.

That is the idea behind an AI receptionist, too. It can answer common questions, qualify leads, and help book appointments outside your regular hours. It isn’t there to replace your care for customers. It can help keep a caller from reaching a dead end when you’re on a job, helping a customer, or closed for the day. You can read more about our AI 24/7 Receptionist.

ATMs changed the work bank tellers did

When Barclays installed its first ATM in 1967, it was reasonable to wonder what the machine would mean for bank tellers. ATMs took on routine transactions, including dispensing cash and accepting deposits.

But economist James Bessen’s research found that tellers in the United States did not simply disappear after ATMs arrived. From the 1980s into the early 2000s, teller employment stayed stable or rose. Banks needed fewer tellers per branch, but lower operating costs helped them open more branches. The human role also shifted toward helping customers and building relationships.

A teller talks with a small business owner while an ATM handles a routine transaction

That’s not proof that every job is safe from change. It’s a reminder to look beyond the first task a machine takes over. The better question for your business may be: what repetitive work can a tool handle so you have more time for customers, craftsmanship, and decisions that need your experience?

Even smart people can misjudge what a new tool will do

In 1995, astronomer Clifford Stoll argued in Newsweek that the internet would not replace newspapers, teachers, or stores. His column, “Why the Web Won’t Be Nirvana,” also raised concerns that still sound recognizable: poor-quality information, too much noise, and less human contact.

Some of those worries were worth taking seriously. His broader predictions about how online life and commerce would develop did not hold up.

The lesson isn’t that experts are foolish or that every worry will prove wrong. It’s that nobody gets a perfect view of the future from the start. You can be careful and still stay curious.

Fear can point to a real problem

It would be dishonest to say every worry about technology is misplaced. Some jobs have disappeared. Some new tools introduce safety, privacy, or accuracy risks. And even when a technology creates new opportunities, the people whose work changes may not be the people who benefit first.

Caution matters. With AI, it makes sense to ask what information a tool can access, what it is allowed to do, and when a person needs to step in. Giving a tool a narrow job and checking its work is different from handing it control of important decisions.

The trouble starts when caution turns into avoidance. While you wait, routine tasks still take your time. A call that goes unanswered may mean a customer tries the next business on the list. A pile of follow-up may keep you from work that brings in revenue.

You don’t have to adopt every new tool. But you do need to understand your options well enough to make that choice on purpose.

AI is here. You can decide how it fits your business.

It makes sense that people are still getting comfortable. In a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, 52% of U.S. workers said they were worried about AI’s future impact in the workplace. That feeling deserves respect, not a lecture.

At the same time, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 small-business report found that 58% of surveyed U.S. small businesses used generative AI in 2025. That doesn’t mean every business should use it in the same way. It does mean the conversation is already part of small business life.

A good starting point is small and specific. Choose one routine task that takes time, learn what an AI tool can and can’t do with it, and keep a person in charge of the decisions that matter. You remain in control of the rules, the review, and the customer relationship.

At Sharon Gainey Digital, we help small businesses make technology easier to use, not more complicated. Our services bring websites, visibility, content, and AI support together around your business.

Take the first ride with help

The elevator didn’t become comfortable because riders were told their concerns were foolish. It became easier to use because people had a little guidance and reassurance.

AI doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision either. You can learn one useful application at a time, ask questions, and decide what belongs in your business. The technology isn’t going away, and the sooner you get comfortable with the parts that help, the more choices you’ll have.

If you’re wondering where to start, call or text (334) 946-0014, or visit Sharon Gainey Digital. Tell us what’s taking too much time or where technology feels confusing. We’ll start with a conversation.