AI Reshapes Freelance Market: Demand for Copywriting Drops 33%, Interest in AI Video Creators Nearly Doubles

A study by ZeroCoder University covering 2015-2026 showed that generative AI did not destroy demand for freelance specialists but redistributed it. The effect is described as an "hourglass": orders are concentrated in cheap, routine tasks and expensive expert work, while the middle segment is shrinking. From November 2022 to February 2024, demand for written texts fell by 33%, for translators by 19%, and for customer support by 16%. Demand grew for video editing (+39%), development (+4-6%), and design (+8-10%). Aggregate demand for AI skills in 2025 increased by 109% year-over-year, especially for AI video creation (+329%), neural network integration (+178%), and data labeling (+154%). On platforms Fiverr and Upwork, the number of active buyers decreased, but average spending increased: on Fiverr from $170 to $342, and Upwork's revenue reached a record $787.8 million. Fiverr cut its workforce by 30% and began developing as an AI-native company.