Delays Pay Dividends – How Managing Expectations Builds Trust and Adoption in AI

We live in a world that increasingly values speed and glorifies productivity. Instant replies, rapid decision making, and AI-generated content are all designed to remove friction and save time. But while efficiency is important, there are moments when speed can actually diminish an experience - where getting there fast doesn’t always last.

When things move too quickly, they can feel rushed or impersonal. On the other hand, poorly managed delays can leave people feeling lost and forgotten.

The real key is not just how long something takes, but how well expectations are managed throughout the process.

A Relatable Example: Hiring – Striking the Right Balance Between Speed and Thoughtfulness

We've all been applicants, and many of us have sat on the other side of the desk (or screen, nowadays). We know there’s a lot on the line for both the applicant and the employer - the effort poured into applications, and the pressure to hire the right candidate. In the early stages of the hiring journey, there’s a perfect example of why balancing speed and care is crucial.

Good candidates spend hours tailoring their CVs, crafting cover letters, and refining applications. If they receive a rejection or even an invitation to interview within minutes, it can feel at best rushed and at worst dismissive, as if their effort and application wasn’t truly considered. On the flip side, if a company takes weeks to respond, applicants feel ignored, left in limbo, and ultimately disengage.

The most effective hiring processes manage time deliberately. A response that is timely but not immediate signals thoughtfulness. Automated confirmation emails reassure applicants that their materials were received. Even a simple update like, "We're still reviewing applications," prevents frustration. The process doesn’t need to be instant, but it does need to feel fair and intentional.

Clearly outlining your application process and expected review time benefits both successful and unsuccessful candidates, helping to maintain trust, strengthen your brand, and uphold your reputation..

AI Interactions: Delays - The Illusion of Thoughtfulness

AI, much like hiring decisions, benefits from pacing that feels natural. Some AI tools instantly generate a long, fully formed response in milliseconds. While impressive, this can feel mechanical, like the output was copied and pasted rather than crafted in real time. It also removes any sense of co-creation, an important feeling to have if you are to adopt generative AI in your day-to-day.

This is why many AI systems simulate the experience of typing. The delay isn’t always because the AI needs time to process and think; it’s also because that pause makes the interaction feel more human, as though the response is forming organically.

As communication expert Vinh Giang puts it:

Pausing prior to answering allows you to think through your answer - this comes across as more thoughtful and gives more weight to your answer.

When applied to AI, this subtle design choice of pausing or simulating typing at a more human speed builds trust. It makes users feel like they’re engaged in a real conversation rather than receiving a pre-generated answer.

Similarly, automated customer service agents often introduce short delays between responses. This prevents interactions from feeling robotic and reassures users that their input is being considered rather than instantly understood - particularly important when the agent hasn't quite understood the query.

In many cases, the illusion of thoughtfulness is just as important as the actual content of a response.

Expectation Management: Transparency - The Real Key to Trust

The frustration we feel in slow processes or unexpected results isn’t necessarily about time itself - it’s about uncertainty. When people don’t know what’s happening or when expectations aren’t met, they assume the worst. Managing expectations, whether through progress updates in hiring, onboarding, or even guiding users on how to get the best out of AI can make all the difference.

This principle applies to many examples: A process doesn’t need to be the fastest - it just needs to feel considered, transparent, and fair. And interestingly, sometimes when there is an intentional delay introduced, the perceived quality can increase. Rory Sutherland talks a lot about this - I would highly recommend taking a listen. Essentially, slow and steady doesn’t just win the race, it can build trust along the way.

The best experiences aren’t defined by speed alone but by how well they guide people through the journey.

Final Thoughts

In a world obsessed with speed, we often underestimate the power of pacing. Whether it’s a job application or an AI response, deliberate timing can enhance trust, engagement, and overall satisfaction.

Next time you're designing an experience, consider this: A little extra time, when well-managed, isn’t an inconvenience. It’s an opportunity to build a deeper, more thoughtful connection.

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Credits

Author: Rob Anderton

Editorial: Rob Anderton / OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT 4o [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Images: OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT 4o [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Quote: Giang, V. (2024) ‘Don’t be scared to pause before you answer’, LinkedIn, 25 February. Available here.