AI Anxiety: a comprehensive analysis of psychological factors and interventions

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised significant concerns regarding its impact on human psychology, leading to a phenomenon termed AI Anxiety—feelings of apprehension or fear stemming from the accelerated development of AI technologies. Although AI Anxiety is a critical concern, the current literature lacks a comprehensive analysis addressing this issue. This paper aims to fill that gap by thoroughly examining the psychological factors underlying AI Anxiety and proposing effective solutions to tackle the problem. We begin by comparing AI Anxiety with Automation Anxiety, highlighting the distinct psychological impacts associated with AI-specific advancements. We delve into the primary contributor to AI Anxiety—the fear of replacement by AI—and explore secondary causes such as uncontrolled AI growth, privacy concerns, AI-generated misinformation, and AI biases. To address these challenges, we propose multidisciplinary solutions, offering insights into educational, technological, regulatory, and ethical guidelines. Understanding the root causes of AI Anxiety and implementing strategic interventions are critical steps for mitigating its rise as society enters the era of pervasive AI.