Freelancers are dead.
How many times have you seen this on LinkedIn? And then, how many times have you seen people hook you with “Freelancers are not dead.” It is absolutely f*cking exhausting to have the same conversation over and over and over again. With the emergence of AI, it’s incredible to think of how this tech has changed the game entirely. For freelancers, a job that used to be outsourced can now be done by someone in-house with a monthly subscription to any AI platform.
So, are freelancers dead? No. Are they on life support? Wouldn’t say that either. Is the freelance profession changing to something we aren’t sure of what yet? Abso-f*cking-lutely.
What Is a Freelancer?
If you’ve never heard this term before, we’re low key shocked (and almost don’t believe you). But we’re also kidding, and because this is a good keyword, we have to include this as our H1 to rank.
A freelancer is someone self-employed who offers their services to multiple clients on a project or contract basis. Unlike a traditional employee, a freelancer isn’t committed to a single long-term employer and operates with a greater degree of flexibility than many full-time company employees.
This part is sort of funny so indulge us for a few sentences. The earliest origins of the term “freelancer” are rumored to be rooted in medieval warfare. A “free lance” was a mercenary soldier, more specifically a knight or cavalryman, who had no allegiance to a lord or nation. Their lance was literally “free.” Well, certainly not free for their service, but certainly for their loyalty. Their allegiance was available for hire to the highest bidder.
Now that we’ve satisfied SEO, we can get back to our scheduled rant.
Are Freelancers Really Dead?
Drum roll please…
No. The freelance profession is alive and well, although it is very much changing. The evolution has seen higher stakes, stiffer competition, and less opportunity in the traditional sense. While AI-generated content and designs may not have the soul or strategic depth of a human professional, for many businesses, they’re “good enough.” If you haven’t heard, sh*t’s expensive and a lot of folks don’t have the resources to shell out for a human when they mooch from a robot.
Here’s the best part of this whole debate. Freelancers who embrace AI are much more efficient and successful. Competing against AI will not prevail. Having it on your team—well, that’s a different story.
The freelancer as we knew it no longer exists. They’ve been slowly replaced by more efficient and cheaper tech. But freelancers are not dead, so long as they embrace their new digital colleague. A freelance writer, for example, no longer sells hours or words, but rather outcomes and strategy. They physically write for a client but they offer something that AI can’t.
As a former freelance writer, I must stick with my motley crew of independent workers. It’s a fun profession, opening doors to freedoms not seen in more corporate jobs. But don’t sleep on AI and certainly don’t sleep on your fellow freelancers. The gig isn’t over, but the rules have fundamentally changed.
