Artificial intelligence anxiety: a narrative review of psychiatric conceptualization and clinical management

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually permeating every aspect of daily life. AI is now more than a mere tool; it significantly influences individual capabilities, professional values, social status, and our perspectives on the future. Amid these AI-driven changes, the concept of AI anxiety (AIA) has emerged to describe the associated emotional distress; however, its psychiatric significance has not yet been clearly defined. Presently, AIA can be conceptualized not as a distinct psychiatric diagnosis, but as a stress response capable of amplifying pre-existing vulnerabilities, psychiatric symptoms, maladaptive coping mechanisms, and functional impairments. This review categorizes AIA into five interrelated domains: anxiety regarding competence and adaptation, anxiety concerning occupational displacement and role loss, anxiety related to sociotechnical mistrust and loss of control, anxiety regarding identity and the human-machine boundary, and existential or catastrophic anxiety regarding the future. The clinical assessment of patients should evaluate specific AI-related experiences, perceived threats, behavioral responses, functional consequences, comorbid symptoms, and reality-testing abilities. Cases accompanied by excessive reliance on AI, social isolation, or the substitution of human support with AI interactions warrant increased attention. Therapeutic approaches include psychoeducation, cognitive and behavioral strategies, acceptance-based approaches, meaning-centered psychotherapy, AI literacy education, and efforts to restore human connections. Future studies should clarify the definition and scope of AIA and elucidate its course and treatment responsiveness through longitudinal and clinical studies using reliable assessment tools.