There is a lot of chatter online about the gig economy and whether or not it is stable or unstable. In truth, there has been so much change in the freelancer world since AI came into the picture that there are still a lot of ripples yet to come. Like many other freelancers, I am still partially standing back and waiting to see just how the gig economy will look and feel once some of the AI craze dies down. For now, here are my thoughts.

Is the gig economy different now?

I have asked myself this question quite a few times. The gig economy is different from how it used to be. When I compare my freelance business now to how it was in 2020 and 2021, it’s really obvious. Here are the main differences.

• Queue and service demands: I clearly remember working to my top capacity in 2020 and 2021. That meant carefully organizing deadlines, charging extra for last-minute deadlines from new or returning clients, etc. These times were stressful, but in a positive, “they really like me” kind of way. Now, in 2024, most of my past clients have disappeared, and my queue is pretty quiet most of the time. I still get that warm and fuzzy feeling when I can meet a client’s needs, of course. It just happens less frequently since my queue is quiet!

• Volatility in service offerings and pricing requirements: One recent change that surprised me is how particular some clients are about offerings and pricing. Previously, freelancers could set rates that felt fair to them and how they do business. I certainly felt that way in 2020 and 2021. Now, I feel I am competing with so many other freelancers for the same job that I must be as tight with my quote pricing as possible. I also need to offer more in my base rate than I usually would for the same reason. Where freelancers used to hold the pricing power, I find clients are more in control, now.

• Polarization in views about AI: Another huge difference specific to the gig economy is just how split freelancers are about AI. Some love it for its ability to cut down on “mindless tasks,” and others hate it since it gets the blame for making the gig economy unstable and “replacing freelancers.” I’ve learned to approach the topic of AI very carefully with other freelancers and clients, since I am never sure of how they are going to take it!  

Navigating uncertain times

Comparatively, the gig economy is unstable now as compared to being a freelance writer in 2020 or 2021. However, I also find that it isn’t all bad. I’m going to touch on that in another blog post, so definitely stay tuned if you are interested in learning about how AI has changed freelancing.

Fellow freelancers, what do you think? Has the gig economy been unstable for you, too? Have you changed how you work dramatically? I’m curious whether this is a general freelancer thing or just a me thing!