A majority of freelancers are using artificial intelligence, according to research by talent platform Freelancer.com.

Its global survey of 8,100 freelancers found that 73% are using generative AI tools in their work.

Still, the percentage of tasks that freelancers are automating via AI varies. Approximately 35% globally use AI to automate a quarter or less of their tasks and projects. And 16% say they use AI to automate between a quarter to half of their tasks.

Only 9% of freelancers say they use AI to automate nearly all of their work.

However, nearly half of freelancers, 48%, are very concerned about AI taking over their jobs. In addition, 31% are somewhat concerned. Only 21% are not concerned.

Globally, 28% of freelancers are optimistic about new opportunities that AI may present, and 20% believe AI will make them more productive.

Looking just at freelancers in the US, Freelancer.com found:

• 75% are using AI in their work.
• 33% are using AI tools all the time.
• ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool, with 57% saying they are using it. ChatGPT was followed by Bard and Bing Chat, 21%; GitHub Copilot, 12%; and Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and Dall-E, 10%.
• 58% are very concerned about AI taking their job, more than in any other region surveyed; 20% of US respondents are not concerned about it.