Assessing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employee Well-Being: an SDT and JD-R Perspective

Artificial intelligence (AI) is progressively being integrated into workforces, raising important questions about its consequences on employee well-being. The intersection of AI deployment, workplace experience, and employee outcomes has become an expanding topic of discussion across both academic literature and public discourse not long ago. Though prior research has explored the relationship between AI use and employee well-being, relatively few studies have examined the psychological mechanisms through which AI may influence burnout and job satisfaction. Limited research has investigated whether fulfillment of the core psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are associated with these relationships. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and conceptualized by the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) framework, this study investigates whether AI use in workplace settings is associated with reduced burnout and greater job satisfaction among workers. Specifically, we examine whether these relationships are indirectly associated with the fulfillment of core psychological needs. The JD-R framework suggests that AI technologies may function as either systemic resources that support worker well-being or as operational demands that exacerbate stress and burnout, depending on their deployment strategies and reception. Findings from this study may contribute to a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms through which AI integration influences employee well-being. This study may provide insight into how AI technologies can be implemented in ways that support employee well-being and reduce occupational burnout within the workplace.