AC on -- transmission hesitation?

Experiencing my first issue now...... lately when I have the AC blasting and I slow down to a complete stop (red light for example) when I press the gas the car doesn't really want to move very easily.

I describe the feeling as if I were driving a manual trying to start in 2nd gear.. this is the kind of problem I'd expect with a DCT.. which I don't have.

It does seem to be an effect of having the AC on though.. if I turn off the AC as it's hesitating to move it then instantly has power again and goes..

Obviously I know AC takes a lot of power and all of that, but this seems extreme... and it's recent. I've used the AC before and never had an issue.

Difference is temperatures have been > 90F lately, don't know how that could come into play though.

Any thoughts? I'm certainly not going to switch into manual mode first gear every time I'm at a red light.. there's got to be "something wrong".