While interest in artificial intelligence (AI) among enthusiasts has grown steadily since the 1950s, when Alan Turing first introduced the concept of measuring computer intelligence, it wasn’t until November of 2022 that the lay public started to notice (see trend).
Headlines about the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT began to dominate forums, social media, and airwaves alike.
Seemingly out of nowhere, there was a user-friendly conversation-based tool that the public could use — for free — that generated human-like text responses derived from a vast dataset of pre-existing information: the near entirety of published human knowledge.
The pros of such technology were immediately evident. Users could get 24/7 help with a variety of tasks such as tutoring, code troubleshooting, recipe suggestions, writing assistance, and even fitness or health advice.
But the release of such a tool was met with an equally healthy amount of skepticism. Was the world yet ready for something like this to be released? Could the widespread adoption of AI be a net negative for humanity?
Important questions with important answers…but there was no time for debate [on the broader public scene]. The tool — along with several competing technologies — was thrust into the spotlight.
The conversation immediately began to shift towards how AI might impact the collective workplace. That was just over a year ago, and now, the impact is already being felt.
Jobs Being Replaced by AI
In a recent workplace AI Study by Bloomberry, over 5 million freelancing job postings were meticulously examined to uncover the burgeoning impact of artificial intelligence on the freelancing industry.
The study, aimed at identifying which jobs are being replaced by AI, sheds light on the evolving landscape of freelance work and its future direction.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Freelance Writing was among the hardest categories hit, with a 33% retraction in job postings since ChatGPT’s release.
Similarly, job openings associated with Translation (-19%) and Customer Support (-16%) — seemingly simple tasks for a trained autonomous system — experienced significant shrinkage.
“Creative writing, data entry, and basic graphic design roles are among the most affected by AI integration. These areas have seen a significant shift towards automation, with AI tools increasingly capable of performing tasks traditionally completed by humans,” spit out ChatGPT, when asked to analyze the results of the study.
And, while the outlook among workers within the freelance categories most impacted by AI is understandably poor, the broader freelance market showed signs of embracing generative AI.
The study highlights an increase in demand for online jobs associated with AI oversight roles, such as AI trainers and ethics compliance managers, indicating a shift towards more specialized positions that leverage human oversight over AI systems.
Additionally, “since ChatGPT was released, video editing/production jobs are up 39%, graphic design jobs are up 8%, and web design jobs are up 10%…which was surprising, given all the anecdotal stories we’ve been hearing about people using ChatGPT to generate code, illustrations and even full-featured videos,” wrote Henley Wing Chiu, the study’s author.
Industry experts concur, pointing out the transformative potential of AI in freelancing. Dr. Helena Ford, a leading expert in AI and labor markets, states, “This isn’t just about job displacement; it’s about job transformation. The future belongs to those who can complement AI, not compete with it.”
Related: 12 Ways to Grow Your Income as a Freelance Writer
Should Freelancers Consider a Pivot?
As AI continues to advance, the line between tasks that require human intuition and those that can be automated becomes increasingly blurred.
The Bloomberry study underscores the dual-edged nature of AI in the freelancing world. On one hand, AI threatens traditional freelancing jobs, automating tasks with unprecedented speed and efficiency.
On the other, it creates new opportunities to make money online for those willing to adapt and evolve. The findings suggest a pressing need for freelancers to pivot towards roles that AI cannot easily replicate, emphasizing creative, strategic, and empathetic skills.
Related: We Asked Over 1,000 Everyday People About AI. Here’s What They Said.
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