Research on the Mechanism of Artificial Intelligence Stress Perception Influencing Employees’ Approach-oriented Job Crafting: Applying the Transactional Theory of Stress and Approach-avoidance Coping Theory

Background and Aims: With the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its increasing application in workplaces, employees experience profound transformations in their work tasks, job roles, and professional development paths. While AI enhances efficiency and decision-making, it also raises concerns about job security, skill obsolescence, and workplace stress. This study explores how AI perception influences employees' job crafting behavior through the lens of the Transactional Theory of Stress and the Coping Theory. Methodology: The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining survey data and interviews from employees in AI-integrated industries. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to analyze the relationships between AI stress perception, coping strategies, and job crafting behaviors. The study distinguishes between two types of AI stress perception: AI threat perception and AI challenge perception, examining their respective influences on proactive job crafting. Results: Findings reveal that AI stress perception significantly influences employees’ coping strategies. Employees with a high AI threat perception tend to adopt avoidance coping, leading to negative job crafting behaviors, while those with an AI challenge perception engage in approach-oriented coping, enhancing their proactive job crafting. Furthermore, coping strategies serve as a mediating factor between AI perception and job crafting outcomes. Conclusion: AI perception plays a crucial role in shaping employees’ job behaviors. Organizations should develop targeted interventions to help employees positively interpret AI-related workplace changes, encourage proactive coping strategies, and promote skill development to enhance job crafting.