AI for Freelancers: How to Stay Updated & What to Learn 2024

Many freelancers don’t necessarily 'like' artificial intelligence or AI because they believe this generative technology will replace them.

Imagine a company favoring AI machines to create articles, videos, images, and other digital content over them.

While this might be true, some freelancers embrace AI, viewing this technology as a tool to make work more efficient and produce higher-quality output.

And do you know how they do it? They learned and mastered how to stay up-to-date on AI changes and used that to their advantage. You can do it, too! You can just read on to learn how.

How to Stay Updated on AI Changes

AI is making a headway into the multibillion-dollar freelance or gig economy. According to the Freelance Forward 2022 report, American freelancers contributed about $1.35 trillion in annual earnings to the US economy.

Yes, the gig economy is ever-growing, and so are artificial intelligence technologies.

Some freelancers believe it will dislodge them from their positions, but others have foresight.

They study potential AI changes and tweak their freelancing strategies to accommodate market-disrupting changes. You can stay abreast of the latest AI trends with the following techniques.

You might also be interested: 5 Video Marketing Trends To Watch Out for in 2024

Read authoritative blogs and newsletters.

Anyone can publish anything on the internet. It doesn’t mean you should believe each one. If you want to learn the most accurate AI changes happening in the industry, your best bet is to read blogs and newsletters from authoritative or trustworthy sources.

Reputable AI blogs can give updates, opinions, and insights to allow you to make informed decisions about your freelancing activities.

Meanwhile, AI organizations, researchers, experts, and practitioners often have periodic newsletters with AI-related topics and updates.

Follow reputable video producers and podcasters.

Like bloggers and newsletter publishers, podcasters and video producers can be excellent sources of artificial intelligence updates.

These channels are the audio-visual equivalent of written material, giving you and other freelancers a more immersive learning experience.

You will want to listen to reputable podcasters and video presenters with extensive AI knowledge. The best part about listening to these channels is they offer real-world AI applications.

Video hosts and podcasters can offer insights and opinions on applying an emerging AI trend in your freelancing practice.

Enroll in online AI courses.

Visionary freelancers view AI as an exciting tool to enhance their portfolio.

Listening to podcasters, watching video hosts, and reading blogs and newsletters are often insufficient.

If you want to excel in freelancing with AI supporting your endeavors, enrolling in AI courses offered by trustworthy and authoritative AI entities is one way.

AI courses and certifications bolster your AI competencies. More importantly, these learning experiences validate expertise and solidify credibility. After all, businesses want a trustworthy and competent freelancer working for them on projects.

Join AI events and online communities.

You can also stay updated on AI changes by joining and participating in online groups, communities, and forums.

Although some bits of information might be questionable, the channel’s informal and free-flowing nature allows you to interact with fellow freelancers and AI enthusiasts.

Joining events empower you to ask questions from AI experts, exchange ideas, and share resources with fellow freelancers. They can also help you better understand the latest AI trends.

What Can Freelance Content Creators Learn from AI?

Artificial intelligence will not (and should not) replace humans. This technology exists to make our lives more convenient.

For freelancers, AI trends and updates can help them realize that AI can improve productivity and build credibility. So, what can freelancers learn from artificial intelligence?

AI improves output quality and work efficiency.

Freelance content writers spend hours scouring the internet for credible and authoritative data to support claims in their creations.

Such a requirement is most significant in academic and technical writing. AI can search the net for scholarly articles within seconds.

Meanwhile, bloggers can have the writer's block. Identifying an audience attention-grabbing topic can take hours or days if the blogger has a bad day.

Constructing the topic structure is another matter. Some bloggers cannot commit to a seamless flow of ideas.

AI addresses such concerns. It doesn’t experience writer’s block, and its logic is exceptional.

A writer’s state of mind (i.e., stress levels) can also impact output quality. Language-related errors (i.e., grammar and spelling) can undermine an article’s quality. AI uses advanced algorithms to ensure an article is error-free.

Of course, writing is an art. It allows writers to express their feelings and thoughts. Using AI 'dehumanizes' this aspect. Not necessarily.

AI simplifies things. It speeds up processes. But that doesn’t mean you should relinquish your writing prowess to machines. Freelancers can review the AI-generated output and tweak it to reflect their personalities.

It’s the same story with video creators. Producing images and animated stills can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking.

You could spend days developing an avatar idea and a few weeks to realize it.

AI delivers within seconds. Tools like Puppetry can help create animated images and presenters.

AI generates insights from real-time feedback.

Freelance content creators strive to deliver engaging content to target audiences. They must sift hundreds of comments or feedback and analyze metrics to understand what content consumers like. That’s cost-ineffective.

A better approach is to use AI to analyze user behavior and audience engagement data to generate actionable insights.

Freelancers can use the recommendations to produce content that audiences love and find highly relatable.

AI facilitates better communication and collaboration

Although most freelancers are independent contractors, some work in teams. For example, a business wants hundreds of blogs within a month.

Even a team of freelance content writers will be hard-pressed to meet the requirements without AI. It’s the same with freelance image creators.

AI-powered project management systems make collaboration, coordination, and communication among team members easier.

Real-time feedback is a guarantee, allowing team leaders to update clients on the project's progress.

Conclusion

Knowing how to stay updated on AI changes is easier with an open mind.

Embracing the technology and recognizing its value in enhancing your freelancing career can be excellent motivators. It will drive you to seek newer and more relevant information about artificial intelligence.

After all, you want to become the best freelance content creator to deliver high-quality and credible outputs for your clients.