Career Tips

Let’s face it: AI isn’t going anywhere. But is that necessarily a bad thing for freelancers? Perhaps not. This week we uploaded an article highlighting how businesses that lay off their workforce to adopt AI may eventually find themselves at a crossroads, with technology that either fails or doesn’t entirely meet the nuanced demands of their industry.

This opens a unique window of opportunity for freelancers. Say IBM shifts to an AI-based customer service model and lays off its human support team. It's not just a loss of jobs but also a loss of nuanced customer interaction, contextual problem-solving, and brand humanity—areas where freelancers can step in with hybrid solutions. By offering services that pair human creativity and AI efficiency, you could present a far more enticing package.

The Pitfall of Underpricing Your Services

The article detailed the woes of Freelance Writer Matt Staples, who drastically cut his prices to retain clients, only to find that it wasn't sustainable. Lowering your price in an AI-saturated market may seem tempting but think twice. Artificial intelligence isn’t perfect; it can lack the context, emotion, or creative flair that a project might need. If you underprice yourself, you're not just hurting your wallet; you're also underselling the unique value that only human intuition can bring to a project.

Diversification is Key

Finally, as our article pointed out, companies reliant on AI are opening themselves up to new risks. The same goes for freelancers. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify your skill set and explore opportunities where AI hasn’t yet made a significant impact. If you’re in content writing, maybe it’s time to delve into strategy or consulting. If you’re in graphic design, perhaps UX/UI might offer avenues where human creativity still trumps AI.

Final Thoughts

AI will continue to be a hot topic in the world of freelancing and small businesses. But remember, machines don’t drive innovation, people do. So, instead of seeing AI as the enemy, let’s view it as a tool in our toolkit—something that we can use to better our services and offer more comprehensive solutions to our clients.

Stay ahead of the curve by exploring how you can integrate AI into your freelancing business with our Freelancer Nation network. Subscribe to get timely industry updates and more.

Freelancer Nation is the resource site for all freelancers to get more information to help their business grow and thrive. Click here to access our freelancing resources.

Upcoming Freelancing Events

KOPI Talk: An Independent Journey to Singapore's Largest Cinema

⌛ | September 21st, 6:30PM - 8:30PM

📌| Level 1, VBR Room, National Library Building, Singapore

OKJ shares his motivations and stories behind the journey to make his own cinema debut with a unique experiential short documentary.

A journey that was a decade in the making, OKJ's recounts will enrich audience's perspectives of their own pursuits through a unique blend of documentary snippets and OKJ's own life experiences. The audience will have the exclusive chance to watch the 28-min film and a special behind-the-scenes video.

OKJ is a Documentary Storyteller that is redefining the value of short documentaries. He tours the nation to enrich communities through experiences while carrying his mantra "Justice to Stories". His latest work, A Feeling of Music Playing, had just premiered at Singapore's largest Dolby Atmos cinema, GVMax.

What’s Happening in September?

Things are really ramping up at Freelancer Nation. In September we have some huge announcements which include:

1. Announcing CreativesAtWorks 11th Anniversary

2. The Official launch of Freelancer Nation

3. Announcing our Exclusive Partnership with LytePay

4. Our Podcast Rebrand from Freelancer Creative Exchange, to the Freelancer Nation Podcast Check out our rebranding video here

Make sure to stay up to date with what’s happening inside Freelancer Nation by subscribing to our Social Media channels.

Freelancer Nation Podcast

Curious on how Web3 can impact your Freelancing career, check out one of our most recent Podcast Episodes titled “Decentralization and the Future of On-chain Credentials”.

If you haven’t already make sure to check out our Freelancer Nation Website and Apply as a Freelancer today!