At the Edge of Technological Transformation: Artificial Intelligence Anxiety, Technostress and Digital Competence
At the Edge of Technological Transformation: Artificial Intelligence Anxiety, Technostress and Digital Competence

Summary/Abstract: This study examined the effect of AI anxiety (AIA) on technostress and the moderating role of digital competence (DC). Grounded in the cognitive appraisal approach and the Job Demands-Resources and Conservation of Resources frameworks, the study posits that AIA increases technology-related job demands, whereas DC functions as a personal resource that mitigates this effect. Data were collected through an online survey of 410 employees at Istanbul Technopark and METU Technopolis. Construct validity was assessed using EFA and CFA, and reliability was supported by Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and AVE. Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression and Hayes’s PROCESS Macro (Model 1), with conditional effects examined through simple slope analysis. The results indicate that AIA increases technostress; however, this association weakens at higher levels of DC. These findings identify DC as a critical protective factor against AI-related stress in intensive technology work settings.

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