From automating routine tasks at home and work to transforming healthcare, AI has quickly started showing up in every area of our lives. As widespread AI use increases, you may find that it also affects your mental health.
Growing fears around job security, privacy, and human connection can quickly turn into anxiety. Anxiety can lead to other conditions, like depression, heart disease, and gastrointestinal issues.
Managing AI anxiety empowers you to prevent these issues before they become long-term health problems. Start by understanding what AI anxiety is and how it could show up in your life.
AI anxiety is the fear of emerging technologies and how they can impact your life. Research shows this fear is common—a Pew Research Center survey found that about 51 percent of U.S. adults are concerned about the rise of AI.
AI anxiety can show up in multiple ways. Here are a few examples:
According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, AI was involved in more than 54,000 job reductions in 2025, so it’s natural to fear that the technology will replace human employees.
2025 also marked the exit of more than 100,000 Black women from the U.S. workforce, due in part to federal government layoffs, DEI rollbacks, and the automation of customer service and administrative roles.
As employers increasingly use AI, anxiety may increase for Black women due to:
Black workers who have disabilities, work in creative sectors, and have skilled trade careers may also experience AI anxiety as automation becomes a bigger part of their jobs.
AI is regularly changing the systems we use in everyday life, but it’s not always easy to understand how. This can jeopardize your sense of control. For example, Clearwater AI, a facial recognition company that partners with law enforcement agencies, has caused controversy for scraping images from social media to support legal investigations. Companies like LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, and Amazon have also been heavily criticized for using AI in ways that could compromise personal privacy and informed consent.
Prolonged loss of control can lead to anxiety, depression, and feelings of helplessness, which can all weaken your quality of life.
As AI evolves, it can become challenging to separate what’s real from what’s not. For instance, you may see someone’s reel on social media, only to find that the person featured is actually an AI persona. In some cases, AI can be quickly spotted, but in others, AI personas can appear nearly identical to humans.
These rapid advances in AI realism, along with constant reminders about AI at work, at home, and in the media, can leave you feeling detached from reality, scared of being replaced, or less hopeful about humanity’s future.
Daily exposure to AI tools and news has been linked to mental fatigue and stress. A 2025 survey conducted by researchers Shalu, Verma, Dev, Bhardwaj, and Kumar shows that long-term AI use is also associated with shorter attention spans and decision fatigue.
Imagine being presented with a video that shows you making a statement you never made, or committing a crime you didn’t commit—for Black people, the idea of this happening is not only concerning, but horrifying.
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, Black people are at a significantly higher risk of being wrongfully convicted of major crimes. For this reason, AI—which can be used to alter footage, create deepfakes, and swap faces—can be especially harmful to men and women in the Black community.
AI can be useful, but you don’t need it for everything. Disable AI assistants, chatbots, and suggested prompts in your email, search engines, and the software you use regularly. Opting out of AI features can help you maintain control over the apps you use and feel more autonomous.
Analog hobbies, such as reading, painting, crocheting, gardening, and baking, help you reduce screen time and engage in hands-on activities. These hobbies can also keep your mind sharp and decrease anxiety.
Regardless of how much technology advances, AI cannot duplicate human experiences, emotions, or talents, so manage your anxiety by developing in these areas. Have conversations with real people, join local groups or clubs, and travel domestically and internationally to continue learning, growing, and embracing real-world experiences.
Much of what we know about AI comes through news and social media, which is often sensationalized to keep you tuned in. Limit your exposure to the news and avoid doomscrolling on social media. While it’s important to stay informed, it’s equally important to unplug so that you can protect your mental health, be present, and keep your stress levels low.
AI anxiety may not start with severe symptoms, like panic attacks or heart palpitations, but you still shouldn’t underestimate the effect it can have on your health. AI anxiety can contribute to insomnia, irritability, paranoia, and chronic stress, all of which can disrupt your daily life.
Maintain your mental and emotional health by proactively monitoring the signs and treating them as soon as they start. Implement deep breathing and relaxation techniques, create a screen-free sleep routine, and complete at least one daily exercise, such as stretching or walking, to ease tension.
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