Global gig economy surges as AI boosts skills and flexibility: Zety
GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO — A new wave of American workers is flooding into the gig economy, driven by financial needs and a desire for skills, with artificial intelligence reshaping their productivity and opportunities, according to Zety’s 2025 Gig Work Report.
The report finds, based on an August 2025 survey of over 900 United States gig workers, that more than half are newcomers and that an overwhelming majority report positive mental health impacts and a long-term commitment to this independent work model.
Gig work goes mainstream
According to the survey, 52% of current gig workers started in the past year, and 49% of their total experience is less than 1 year, indicating that the number of new entrants is high and growing rapidly.
This is no passing craze: 94% of the people surveyed intend to remain in gig employment permanently, indicating that the nature of careers and their organization is changing fundamentally and permanently.
This is a growing trend driven by a range of motivations beyond financial need. Although 50% of workers cite supplemental income as their primary motivation, 43% rely on gig work to gain experience or acquire new skills.
Moreover, 41% base it on as their main source of income, and 36% spend 30 or more hours per week, indicating that it is a serious and long-term form of employment rather than a hobby.
“Many are designing careers that prioritize adaptability, learning, and personal fulfillment over conventional employment paths,” the report indicates.
AI becomes the gig worker’s edge
The use of AI has become an essential part of the working process of a modern gig worker, providing them with even more opportunities and increasing the importance of their profession.
Even more astonishingly, 86% of the surveyed individuals think that AI has introduced new forms of gigs, and 94% have personally employed AI applications such as ChatGPT and Midjourney to assist them in their work.
Such widespread use shows that gig workers are the first to adopt AI in their everyday professional activities, using it to increase efficiency and expand the services they provide.
The effects of this adoption are directly connected with the value and marketability of the workers. A massive 88% of gig workers believe AI tools have enhanced the supply of their skills in the economy.
This means that, rather than displacing human labor, AI is being implemented as a force multiplier, allowing autonomous employees to perform their duties more effectively, learn new skills, and find new sources of income, thereby solidifying their competitive edge.
Independence brings both freedom and strain
Gig work has a complicated duality in relation to mental health, with tremendous advantages and considerable emotional inconveniences. Ninety-one percent report that the model has had a positive influence on their mental health in general, which is probably due to the flexibility valued by 37% and the independence preferred by 26% that the model provides.
This high level of satisfaction is the reason for the strong long-term commitment, as workers are much more concerned with autonomy and personal fulfillment than with conventional employment patterns.
Nevertheless, there is a significant emotional cost to this independence, which creates a paradox of well-being. Most gig workers are lonely and isolated at 58%, with a fair number burnt out and stressed at 54%.
Such findings suggest that the same flexibility leading to mental health can also result in isolation and lack of professional/work-life separation, indicating the need to strengthen supportive structures and resources that are particular to the psychological needs of working independently.
As the report concludes, “While many thrive in flexible environments, the emotional toll of working solo shouldn’t be overlooked. Building networks and mental health resources tailored to independent professionals may help address these challenges.”
