Motivation and Psychological Well‐Being of Software Engineers in the Generative AI Era: An Analysis of the Online Discourse

ABSTRACT

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within software engineering is reshaping the profession, leading to opportunities for innovation and productivity. However, while its technical advantages are clear, it is essential to consider the psychological effects AI may have. As software engineers play a crucial role in software development, any impact on their mental well‐being can profoundly affect the pace and quality of work. This study aims to investigate the psychological effects of AI adoption on software engineers, focusing on their emotional well‐being, motivation, and the broader implications for their professional identity. We conducted a qualitative survey based on online documents, such as blog posts, to identify the diversity of software developers' impressions on using AI for software engineering. We analyzed the selected documents using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that rather than a single and uniform perception, there is a duality of positive and negative affects towards AI, which could manifest even in the same individual. These affects are generally associated with experiences that also can be positive and negative. These affects can have a profound impact on the motivation and psychological well‐being of software developers. Our results provide evidence that practitioners are excited about the increasing use of AI tools, but, at the same time, they fear the consequences of this change leading to negative feelings, such as sadness. These results indicate the need for further research on preparing practitioners for this new wave of changes.