Hyper-Automation Anxiety: Assessing Job Insecurity and Progression Collapse in the Age of Prompt-Driven Engineering

Abstract

The rapid emergence of autonomous, prompt-driven AI agents capable of executing end-to-end software engineering tasks from single-line instructions has created a paradigm shift in the software industry. While efficiency gains are widely documented, emerging evidence also points to a psychological cost for software professionals across experience levels that remains comparatively under-researched. This paper conceptualizes Hyper-Automation Anxiety, a proposed construct describing the acute job insecurity, identity loss, and career progression paralysis reported by engineers navigating this shift. We outline three core psychological dimensions grounded in recent empirical and industry evidence, including two large-scale developer surveys totaling over 70,000 respondents: (1) the transition from software creator to code auditor, (2) the erosion of entry-level career ladders, and (3) hyper-velocity adaptation fatigue. A structured survey instrument and strategic mitigation model are proposed as a basis for future empirical validation and for helping software organizations balance autonomous tooling with engineer well-being.