<p>The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education has raised growing concerns about its psychological impact on pre-service teachers. This study examined the relationship between AI anxiety and professional identity among pre-service teachers, focusing on the mediating role of ego depletion and the moderating role of general self-efficacy. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 278 pre-service teachers recruited through convenience sampling from six normal universities in Northwest China. The results showed that AI anxiety negatively predicted professional identity and positively predicted ego depletion. Ego depletion, in turn, negatively predicted professional identity and mediated the relationship between AI anxiety and professional identity. Contrary to the expected buffering effect, general self-efficacy strengthened rather than weakened the positive association between AI anxiety and ego depletion. Analysis of the conditional indirect effects further showed that the indirect effect of AI anxiety on professional identity through ego depletion was significant at high levels of general self-efficacy but not at low levels. These findings suggest that AI anxiety may undermine pre-service teachers’ professional identity by consuming self-regulatory resources. They also indicate that general self-efficacy may not always serve as a protective factor in rapidly changing technological contexts. Teacher education programs should therefore address AI anxiety and ego depletion and provide adaptive support for AI-related professional learning.</p>