Image by Faizur Rehman, from Unsplash
AI Mistakes Are Creating New Jobs For Human Freelancers
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Freelancers and developers are earning work fixing AI mistakes, as botched logos, articles, and apps reveal machines still can’t replace humans.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Many AI outputs are pixelated, messy, or lack human-like quality.
- Half of freelance writer Kiesha Richardson’s jobs now involve revising AI content.
- Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer report surging demand for human-AI collaboration.
In the age of AI, human freelancers are being hired to fix AI hallucinations, as detailed in a new article by NBC . Graphic designer Lisa Carstens, a freelancer in Spain, is being hired by startups and individual clients who ask her to correct botched AI-generated logos. She spends most of her days correcting images which are pixelated or contain messy lines and nonsensical text.
“There’s people that are aware AI isn’t perfect, and then there’s people that come to you angry because they didn’t manage to get it done themselves with AI,” Carstens said, as reported by NBC. “And you kind of have to be empathetic. You don’t want them to feel like idiots. Then you have to fix it,” she added.
This type of work has created a new category of gigs. Writers currently are finding work by revising ChatGPT articles, artists are patching AI-generated images, and software developers fix bugs in applications coded by AI assistants.
Freelance writer Kiesha Richardson in Georgia said to NBC half of her work now involves rewriting AI-generated content.
“That’s all you can do, is learn and adapt,” Richardson said. “And I have some colleagues who are adamant about not working with AI. But I’m like, ‘I need money. I’m taking it’,”she added.
The freelancer platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr report rising demand for human professionals who will work alongside AI systems. NBC notes that Fiverr experienced a 250% increase in niche creative work, including book illustration and web design.
Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer, said, “The market knows when something has been fully produced by AI, and there’s an immediate visceral reaction to it,” as reported by NBC
Illustrators like Todd Van Linda in Florida say clients seek a human touch that AI can’t replicate. “I can look at a piece and not only tell that it’s AI, I can tell you what descriptor they used to generate it,” he said to NBC. Many clients want art that captures the unique vibe of their story, something AI cannot deliver.
Developers also see opportunities. NBC reports that India-based Harsh Kumar saying, “AI may increase productivity, but it can’t fully replace humans. I’m still confident that humans will be required for long-term projects. At the end of the day, humans were the ones who developed AI.”
Image by Freepik
Brands Face Disruption as AI Agents Shop for Users
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
AI shopping agents are transforming e-commerce by cutting search clicks, and forcing brands to change their strategies.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Almost 60% of European Google searches end without a click.
- Gartner predicts traditional search volume could fall 25% by next year.
- Critics warn AI shopping may reduce privacy, freedom, and consumer choice.
The way people shop online may soon change as AI agents will handle various e-commerce tasks. OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have all launched AI-powered features that can search for products, recommend them, and even complete purchases on behalf of users.
The Financial Times (FT) elaborates how this shift will be forcing brands to rethink how their products are searched and sold. “AI [agents and chatbots] steal or hijack that consumer from the brand,” warned James Cadwallader, co-founder of start-up Profound, as reported by the FT. “Eventually, the consumer will only interact with the ‘answer engine’, and agents will become the primary visitors for websites and the internet.”
In this new era, people will shop through chatbots instead of visiting retailers’ websites. FT reports that almost 60 per cent of European Google searches already end without a click as people get answers from AI overviews . FT notes that analysts at Gartner predict traditional search volume could drop 25 per cent by next year.
Moreover, Harvard Business Review recently reported that AI agents are increasingly shaping consumer choices, from suggesting alternatives to compiling reviews and recommending stores.
Interestingly, the OpenAI o3-mini model outperformed human writers in persuasion by 82% , showing AI systems can generate more effective arguments for sales.
This new AI era may completely shift traditional brand-consumer dynamics, emphasizing value and service over customer retention.
Small businesses achieve market exposure through their competitive pricing and high-quality products, yet mid-tier brands need to implement “AI Agent Optimization,” which functions similarly to search engine optimization.
FT says that in order to adapt, marketers are testing new techniques, such as longer keyword-filled URLs, faster websites, and clearer product descriptions. “Shopping has to be a deeply personalised experience that resonates with users,” said Lilian Rincon, vice-president of product for Google Shopping, as reported by the FT. Rincon then argued that the new e-commerce AI tools can help people save “time and effort” by reducing the time of browsing through dozens of tabs.
In this scenario, start-ups like Refine and Algolia are building services to track how brands appear inside AI chatbots. Additionally, FT reports that research indicates that bots respond better to text-based advertising than images, so simple written descriptions could prove more effective than eye-catching pictures.
But the change also raises concerns. FT reports that John Bruce, co-founder of Inrupt, warned that AI shopping could limit consumer freedom: “[Consumers] trade utility for privacy, freedom of operation and choice . . . Surrender a pair of shoes today and who knows what you are going to give up tomorrow?”
