Exploring Job Satisfaction in Pakistan’s IT Industry: Impact of Generative AI (ChatGPT), Low Self-Esteem, and Job Crafting Within JD-R Theory

Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, this study investigates how ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence tool, mediates the relationships between Perceived Organizational Support (POS), Job Crafting (JC), Low Self-Esteem (LSE), and Job Satisfaction (JS) in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving IT sector. As AI tools such as ChatGPT become increasingly embedded in knowledge work, their dual role as job resources and psychological stressors raises critical questions regarding employee well-being. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), data from 310 IT professionals reveal that ChatGPT significantly mediates the effects of POS, JC, and LSE on JS. Specifically, ChatGPT strengthens the positive effects of POS and JC on JS while buffering the negative psychological implications associated with LSE. This study contributes to the growing literature on AI-enabled work design in emerging economies and advances JD-R theory by conceptualizing generative AI as a cognitive and behavioral job resource rather than a purely technical tool.