Re:People – Centre for Society and Technology presented the preliminary findings of a study on the impact of artificial intelligence on freelancers from Serbia working through the Upwork platform.
The research was conducted in March and April 2026 and included 62 online survey respondents, as well as six in-depth interviews with freelancers from different fields and with different levels of experience. The study focused on income, platform-related costs, the use of artificial intelligence, changes in demand for services, the tax and regulatory framework, social protection, and alternative channels for finding work.
The preliminary findings show that most respondents, 88.7%, believe that working conditions on Upwork have worsened over the past two years. Freelancers cited several reasons for this assessment, including higher costs of working on the platform, changes in profile visibility, stronger global competition, market oversaturation and pressure on prices.
Artificial intelligence appears as one of the important factors of change, but not as the only reason for the worsening position of freelancers. According to the findings, 91.9% of respondents already use AI tools in some form. They most often use them to increase productivity, perform certain work tasks, write proposals and communicate with clients.
At the same time, more than half of the respondents believe that artificial intelligence has reduced demand in their primary field of work. Some respondents also report that it has become harder to maintain previous prices, and that clients increasingly expect faster and cheaper work. Routine and entry-level jobs are particularly affected, while new opportunities are also emerging in some areas, including checking and improving AI-generated content, optimisation for AI search, and the development of more complex services that combine professional knowledge with the use of AI tools.
The findings also show that freelancers are adapting to these changes in different ways. Some are investing in new skills and specialisations, while others are looking for work through direct contacts, referrals, local networks and LinkedIn. However, a significant share of respondents are not making additional investments in skills, which points to possible differences in freelancers’ capacity to adapt to the changes brought by AI.
The research was conducted within a project supported by the Olof Palme International Center. The presentation of the results is available on this link.
