How generative AI will affect freelance employment opportunities:

A recent survey by the Freelance platform Upwork has found evidence to suggest that the number of freelancers that businesses hire will increase due to generative AI.

The survey has suggested that of those surveyed, 49% of business leaders said they would hire more freelancers, and 49% said they would increase the number of full-time employees.

In addition, the survey found that when asked whether the majority of decision-makers within an organization were employing generative AI personally, 59% of respondents agreed.

Among the adaptors of generative AI are Remote-first companies that seem more open to embracing the technology. The survey revealed that 53% of office-based organizations utilize generative AI compared to 68% of remote-first organizations. Similarly, the adoption of this technology ranges in popularity across different sizes of companies, with medium-sized enterprises leading the way in the adoption of generative AI.

Kelly Monaghan, the managing director at the Upwork Research Institute, states that organizations that wish to close the divide in embracing generative AI “should roll out a change-management strategy that includes communicating the expected outcomes for their workforce concerning generative AI adoption and clear policies.”

She states that leaders within organizations should address the fear and ambiguity around these technologies and “encourage their teams to adopt a learning orientation.”

While AI may pose some uncertainty for some around the security of their jobs, the survey reports that more than half of those surveyed stated that they were actively utilizing AI tools such as chat GPT and Midjourney.

On this note, an August 2023 article by Pavel Shynkarenko for Forbes addresses the question of whether AI will replace freelancers. Shynkarenko acknowledges that AI will replace freelancers in areas such as data entry, mock designing, translation, and generating industry-specific questions and answers. However, the article highlights that AI has many limitations, and its effectiveness and accuracy can diminish when it comes to creating unique ideas, dealing with unforeseen circumstances, and understanding cultural references and nuances. Therefore, there will be a growing job market for freelancers who can effectively utilize AI and display fluency in working with these technologies. Shynkarenko highlights his belief that professionals who effectively utilize AI will be able to move at a faster pace than their peers.

Given recent studies and think pieces in this area, contractors and freelancers should be approaching generative AI as a tool to aid them in their work rather than an adversary.

Read more about it here: The Generative AI Adoption Disconnect | Upwork

Will AI Replace Freelancers? Using AI To Grow And Empower (forbes.com)