The other day, an acquaintance told me he was leaving his corporate job and launching a freelance career. I felt the bottom of my stomach do a little flip. I ignored it and said, “Hey, good for you.” He needs cheerleaders right now, not doomsdayers.
Just about anyone who is freelancing these days knows what the stomach flip was about. Late last year to some extent, and then this year for sure, freelancing changed dramatically. Partly because of AI, partly because of economic realities, and partly due to reasons no one is saying out loud, the boom time came to an end – for the time being.
Writing and voice-over and social media management jobs have thinned out. (Maybe it’s affecting in-person performers too?) During the pandemic, thousands upon thousands of people took up the freelancing lifestyle. I don’t know thousands and thousands of those people but I know dozens and they’re all saying the same thing. It’s not like it was.
Revealing the Plain Truth
If you’re not on LinkedIn, here’s what it’s usually like: Imagine a room full of people who talk only about how well they’re doing and how much better YOU could be doing if you pay for THEIR help. I’ve written before about LinkedIn’s issues. For example, each time a “business coach” or “podcast marketer” or “career accelerator expert” asks to connect with me, I brace myself for their pitch. I’ve never been wrong.
The other day when a freelance writer I follow posted about losing several clients, it caught my eye. She admitted it wasn’t a typical LinkedIn post. There was no advice or sales pitch. Just a very real and relatable short essay about the life of a freelancer in 2026. And dozens of people (including me!) thanked her for being honest about how it’s going this year. And it’s not for anyone’s lack of effort.
Freelancers Are Feeling It
Derek and I had a wonderful client for years, for whom we both did many monthly voice jobs. This company’s main client, a giant in the technology sector, was hit hard by US tariffs. The technology company is now shipping a fraction of the pieces it used to and therefore doesn’t need our voices to explain new systems. And our direct client went from declaring on their website that they were committed to using only human voices, to now exclusively using AI. We lost an important source of income. They’re doing what they need to keep the lights on.
Many eLearning clients who would hire me a few times a year have also pivoted to AI. Instead of wading into the world of voice artists, companies making their first corporate videos are also choosing AI because: 1. It’s cheaper. 2. It’s easier than dealing with/trusting a stranger. Many of them later come back to humans because people hate AI voices and complain about them. But it’s there and they don’t want to miss the trend. It’s understandable. Disappointing, but understandable.
“Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!”
It’s not all doom and gloom. There’s always a certain amount of turnover in clientele. The committed freelancer is constantly looking for new work. But this sector-wide upheaval and uncertainty in freelancing adds daily pressure to make new relationships with new potential clients. It’s what it’s always been about but it’s simply happening in bigger numbers right now. A few VO artists I know are taking on part-time jobs. Others are mulling over a return to working for The Man. Some are suddenly coaching and consulting. All of us are spending more time marketing our services than we used to. It’s a state of flux and if you don’t take it personally, you can roll with it. But I won’t say it’s been easy.
Many companies have taken their freelance projects in-house to save money. Again, we get it. But because of the state of the industry, those companies can probably now get their projects written/drawn/voiced/produced quicker than they think. And it’s a buyer’s market so it might even cost them less.
Freelancers are the first to go when an organisation tightens its belt. I predict it will rebound once the orange menace is out of the White House and everyone’s had their turn on the dance floor with AI. Some will prefer it but some will want to return to the power of human creativity. Meanwhile, last week I picked up a new international voice client and another freelance writing job for a magazine. Hustle, rinse and repeat!