Freelancers and AI: The Pioneers Nobody Listens To Yet
While the majority of companies hesitate, freelancers have already transitioned into the AI economy. They are gaining in productivity and income, while also fearing its effects on their profession. It's a fragile, often hidden lead that reveals a cultural rather than technological divide.
When Freelancers Pivot and Companies are Still Testing
The ACASI survey conducted in November 2025, involving 5,560 participants, reveals a clear shift: 59% of freelancers are already using AI, with 36% using it very regularly, compared to just 12% of company employees. This difference is not just about the adoption of tools; it reflects something deeper about how these two worlds are approaching ongoing transformations.
Among freelancers, AI has established itself as a creative and operational co-pilot. They use it for brainstorming (48%), writing (41%), visual creation (39%), document summarization (27%), and even automation and coding (21%). These are practical, daily applications that speed up work and allow for faster delivery without additional resources. In contrast, companies are still in a testing phase: 38% have never used AI, 31% are not interested, and 19% have tried it but didn't pursue further. Adoption rates are lower, and the uses are more tentative: only 14% use AI for idea generation, 13% for analysis or summarization, and 11% for writing, with a majority—66%—not using AI tools at all.
The gap is equally evident in the perception of impact: 54% of freelancers believe AI enables them to do more with the same resources, compared to 38% of employees. Nearly half of the companies (49%) disagree with this notion. The divide is not digital but cultural: freelancers are adopting, testing, and producing; companies are evaluating, deliberating, and postponing.
Real Productivity, Deep Concerns: The Freelance Ambivalence
The study shows that AI is already having tangible effects on performance. 40% of freelancers say they are accomplishing more in the same amount of time thanks to these tools, and 61% report an increase in their economic indicators—including revenue, margin, and profitability—with 26% seeing significant improvements. On the business side, only 23% are seeing productivity gains, and 43% note an improvement in performance. This caution reflects less on the results and more on the slow pace of organizational integration.
On the ground, transformations are starting to change the relationship between clients and service providers. 21% of freelancers and 16% of companies note that certain tasks previously outsourced are now being handled internally thanks to AI. Conversely, there's an emerging trend toward higher quality: 25% of freelancers and 31% of organizations see AI driving demand for more expert profiles capable of combining strategy, creativity, and technological proficiency. The market isn't shrinking; it's reorganizing.
However, this advancement comes with a unique concern. Unlike companies that view AI as an opportunity in 51% of cases, freelancers primarily see it as a risk: 39% talk about a « real danger for the future of freelancing, » 14% see it as a « serious risk, » and only 38% view it as an opportunity. This ambivalence explains a revealing statistic: 44% prefer to hide their use of AI, especially fearing they might be perceived as less legitimate or less « expert » if part of their work is AI-assisted. Just 8% fully embrace it as a key component of their work approach.
This concealment is telling: it reveals something about how AI is reshaping the perception of value. While companies can afford to showcase and highlight technology, freelancers might fear their clients questioning the justification of their rates or the exact nature of their work.
This content has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, some nuances may differ from the original French version.
