AI barely scratches the surface of freelance work, study finds
AI can only handle about 2.5% of real freelance tasks, according to a new study that looked at real-world, paid freelance projects in fields like software, design, and data analysis.
Even after reviewing projects that represent over 6,000 hours of real work and a total value of $143,991, researchers found most jobs still need people.
Some AI models do a bit better than others
The Manus model topped the list but still only managed that 2.5% mark.
Grok 4 and Sonnet 4.5 came close behind; others like GPT-5 and ChatGPT lagged with even lower rates.
Why is AI struggling?
Turns out, AIs are fine at spitting out content but get tripped up by tricky instructions or editing details—especially when client requests get complicated.
So for now, creative freelancers don't have much to worry about: robots aren't taking over your gigs just yet.