It’s Scary to Use It, It’s Scary to Refuse It: The Psychological Dimensions of AI Adoption—Anxiety, Motives, and Dependency

The current study examines the psychological factors shaping AI adoption, focusing on anxiety, motivation, and dependency. It identifies two dimensions of AI anxiety: anticipatory anxiety, driven by fears of future disruptions, and annihilation anxiety, reflecting existential concerns about human identity and autonomy. We demonstrate a U-shaped relationship between AI anxiety and usage, where moderate engagement reduces anxiety, and high or low levels increase it. Perceived utility, interest, and attainment significantly correlate with AI engagement, while frequent AI usage is linked to high dependency but not to anxiety. These findings highlight the dual role of psychological factors in hindering and alleviating AI usage. This study enriches the understanding of emotional and motivational drivers in AI adoption and highlights the importance of balanced implementation strategies to foster sustainable and effective AI integration while mitigating the risks of over-reliance.