What Freelancers Really Want from AI (And What They Don't)

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how we work, the freelance community stands at a pivotal crossroads. A new study from Stanford reveals how workers view AI, but for freelancers, the stakes are even higher. With no traditional employer to guide adoption or training, freelancers must choose the right tools, guard their autonomy, and navigate a future where AI is both opportunity and competition.

At Botpool, we believe AI should empower freelancers, not replace them. Here's what today's independent professionals really want from AI and how our platforms can help deliver it.

1. Automate Admin, Not Creativity

Freelancers spend hours each week on non-billable tasks: sending proposals, following up with clients, managing calendars, and sorting invoices. Most don’t want AI to write their entire portfolio or edit their voice but they do want it to handle the repetitive, mindless parts of running a freelance business.

Whether it’s smart contract templates, automated client follow-ups, or AI-powered scheduling, the message is clear: help me save time so I can focus on the work that matters.

2. Keep Me in Control

Autonomy is the lifeblood of freelancing. Freelancers want assistance, not authority. Tools that make suggestions, provide insights, or improve workflows are welcomed. Tools that override choices or work behind closed algorithms? Not so much. Transparency and control are key. AI must serve the freelancer—not the other way around.

3. Make AI Tools Trustworthy and Transparent

Many freelancers are wary of AI tools that promise the world but offer little insight into how they work. If an AI system helps rank profiles or match freelancers with jobs, it must be fair and explainable. No one wants to lose opportunities due to a black-box algorithm. Platforms need to ensure AI recommendations are ethical, inclusive, and auditable.

4. Fairness in the Gig Economy

Freelancers worry about bias, especially in how clients choose who to hire, how platforms rank visibility, or how disputes are resolved. AI can reduce human bias when done right, but it can just as easily reinforce it. The freelance community demands that AI be held to a higher standard: clear rules, explainable actions, and an equal playing field for all.

5. Learning, Not Replacing

AI isn’t the end of freelancing, it’s the next phase. The best freelancers aren’t resisting AI; they’re learning to work with it. Whether it's a designer using AI to generate mockups faster, or a developer using it to debug faster, the focus is on collaboration. But freelancers also need access: to training, to tools, and to platforms that invest in helping them grow. That’s why Botpool is committed to offering AI education, integrations, and access to vetted tools, so freelancers stay competitive.

AI is a Freelancer's Superpower... When Used Right!

AI is here to stay. But freelancers don’t want it to replace their craft, their voice, or their relationships. They want tools that augment, not automate their identity. They want platforms that respect autonomy, promote fairness, and invest in growth.

At Botpool, we believe the future of freelancing is AI-powered, but still human-led. And we’re building that future, one tool and one talented freelancer at a time.

​