Freelance Jobs Thrive Despite AI Advancements, Reports Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN), the world's largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace, has unveiled its quarterly Fast 50 Index for Q2 2024. The report, based on data from 251,000 jobs posted on its platform, indicates a significant rise in freelance job postings, underscoring the growing demand for freelance talent across various sectors.

Computer Security has emerged as the fastest-growing freelance skill on Freelancer.com, with job postings increasing by 27.1%, from 868 to 1,103. This surge suggests that small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) are increasingly turning to freelance cybersecurity experts to safeguard their digital assets. Network Administration also saw a notable rise of 9.9%, further emphasizing the need for freelance network security professionals.

Contrary to predictions that generative AI tools would reduce the demand for certain freelance jobs, the data reveals continued growth in Writing, Business Services, and Legal Skills. PDF writing jobs grew by 26.7%, followed by Microsoft Word projects at 23.9%. Copy Typing and Legal Research also saw increases of 11.6% and 10.8%, respectively. Legal jobs, another area expected to be impacted by AI, grew by 12.0%.

Freelancer.com also conducted an annual AI survey involving over 4,100 workers globally to understand AI's impact on freelancer earnings. The survey found that more than half of the respondents (52.5%) reported earning the same or more since the introduction of AI tools. Notably, 19.2% of workers said they are earning significantly more, while only 17.7% reported a decrease in earnings.

Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.com, commented, "AI is creating more jobs than it takes. While many critics continue to speculate which jobs will be made redundant with AI tools, the data shows that freelance jobs which are labeled as the 'most at risk to AI disruption' are in fact growing. The preliminary results from our AI survey also dispel the myth that freelancers are earning less since the introduction of generative AI."

The rise in cybersecurity threats, particularly for SMBs with minimal protection, has driven the demand for freelance cybersecurity professionals. The Fast 50 Index indicates that businesses are seeking help with network security, security assessments, and the creation of cybersecurity response playbooks.

General business services have also seen a spike in demand, as evidenced by the growth in Market Research and Telemarketing jobs, which increased by 21.1% and 19.4%, respectively. Other business-related skills such as Sales, Lead Generation, and Business Plans also saw significant growth in Q2 2024.

The data shows that entrepreneurs, who typically start businesses at the beginning of the year, are now pivoting to hiring freelancers for various business services to help grow and scale their ventures.

However, not all freelance job categories experienced growth. eCommerce-related jobs, which saw a significant increase in Q1 2024, declined in Q2 2024 due to seasonality. Shopify Templates ranked as the fastest falling skill, down by 13%, followed by CSS and WooCommerce, which fell by 11.8% and 11.2%, respectively.

Despite these declines, the most popular freelance job by volume remains Graphic Design, followed by PHP programming, Photoshop, Website Design, and HTML programming. These skills are recommended for new freelancers starting their freelancing journey.

Electronic Repairs has also emerged as a fast-growing job category, with a 10.7% increase in Q2 2024 and a staggering 162% year-over-year growth. This category involves in-person jobs where freelancers fix laptops, printers, and computer hardware as part of the Freelancer Global Fleet Program.

Overall, the Fast 50 Index reveals a dynamic freelance job market that continues to thrive despite the rise of AI, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the freelance workforce.