Asia Pacific Journal of Information Systems (APJIS)

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Current Issue

Date	September 2025
Vol. No.	Vol. 35 No. 3
DOI	https://doi.org/10.14329/apjis.2025.35.3.540
Page	540~568
Title	Fulfilled or Frustrated? The Paradox of Generative AI and Psychological Needs
Author	Ha Eun Park
Keyword	Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, Psychological Needs, Need Satisfaction, Need Frustration, Self- Determination Theory, Netnography, Psychological Wellbeing
Abstract	Generative AI is increasingly shaping human experiences across creative, social, and professional domains. While its digital capabilities offer new opportunities for enhancing user engagement, personalization, and productivity, its dual impact on users’ psychological needs remains underexplored. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study investigates how generative AI both satisfies and frustrates users’ psychological needs and examines the broader implications of this dynamic. Employing a netnographic methodology, the research draws on over 1.5-year of naturalistic online AI Community observation, resulting in a rich dataset comprising 2,062 pages of data. This research uncovers paradoxical relationships between generative AI features and users’ needs – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – highlighting the simultaneous fulfillment and frustration they can provoke. These findings offer critical insights for the user-centered design of generative AI systems, and have implications for developers, business professionals, and policymakers aiming to balance innovation with psychological well-being.

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