Research conducted by OpenAI and Upwork indicates that artificial intelligence is shifting the landscape of freelance work by creating new combinations of professional skills and increasing project scopes. The study found that while some traditional services are losing market share, AI-related projects are characterized by larger fixed-price budgets and a higher number of work hours compared to non-AI tasks.
According to the findings, the complexity of freelance assignments is increasing as clients integrate AI into various workflows. Between early 2023 and late 2025, the mix of tasks in AI-related postings became 45% more diverse, growing from approximately 15 equally common tasks to roughly 21. Clients are increasingly seeking freelancers to combine capabilities such as AI-generated video, video editing, and motion graphics within a single project.
The data highlights a distinction between how individuals use generative AI and how they hire professionals. While writing accounts for a larger share of direct ChatGPT usage, video and animation represent larger shares of requests in Upwork postings. The research noted that ChatGPT use alone does not explain the shifts in freelance demand, as 20 of the 63 work categories analyzed showed a reverse pattern to those common in ChatGPT usage.
By late 2025, clients were requesting AI applications in specialized fields including chatbot development, marketing automation, application integration, and video production. Although hourly rates for AI-related work remained similar to other categories, the increased budget size suggests a broader scope of work required to deliver finished products.
Upwork’s 2026 Future Workforce Index estimated that 38% of skilled U.S. knowledge workers engage in freelance work, with freelance knowledge work generating $1.5 trillion in U.S. earnings in 2024. The researchers noted that because freelance contracts are often short and requirements change frequently, these shifts in demand may appear in the freelance market before they are reflected in broader economy-wide employment statistics.
