ChatGPT is killing online digital freelancing jobs, finds study. Can you protect yourself?

The rise of AI has many employees in creative fields, especially those in digital freelancing jobs, worried about their job security. Well, there is some bad news for such people. New research indicates these concerns may not only be well-founded, but the situation is actually getting worse, by the day.

A study conducted by Imperial College Business School, Harvard Business School, and the German Institute for Economic Research has found that the demand for digital freelancers in writing and coding has dropped by 21 per cent since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022.

The research, titled “Who is AI Replacing? The Impact of Generative AI on Online Freelancing Platforms,” reviewed nearly two million job postings from 61 countries between July 2021 and July 2023.

AI kills them softly
It categorized jobs into groups based on their susceptibility to automation, manual work, and image generation. The results showed a significant decrease in job postings in these sectors following ChatGPT’s introduction.

Automation-prone fields, such as writing, software, and app development, experienced a 21% decline in job listings.

Data entry and social media post-production jobs saw a 13 per cent decrease, while roles in image generation, including graphic design and 3D modelling, fell by 17 per cent.

Trends in Google searches supported the observation that sectors aware of and using generative AI faced steeper declines.

Dr Xinrong Zhu, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Imperial College Business School and co-author of the study remarked on the impact: “Despite being relatively new, ChatGPT has already significantly influenced the workplace. Many organizations seem to be moving away from freelancers towards generative AI, but it remains to be seen if they are satisfied with AI’s quality compared to human freelancers and if this shift will persist.”

However, there’s a silver lining. Dr. Zhu pointed out that technological advancements, while displacing certain jobs, also create new opportunities. Freelancers who adapt their skills to meet the changing demands can still find success in the evolving job market.

Safeguarding your career
The threat posed by AI to digital freelancers is real and likely to grow as AI technologies improve. However, there are ways to protect your career.

Diversifying your skill sets and focusing on areas where human creativity and emotional intelligence are vital can help.

Skills in strategic thinking, complex problem-solving, and nuanced content creation remain in demand and are less likely to be fully replaced by AI.

Additionally, embracing AI tools to enhance your productivity and the quality of your work can turn potential threats into opportunities.

AI isn’t going away, so learning to work with it is crucial. By adapting and leveraging AI capabilities, you can stay competitive and relevant in the job market.