#382: The Truth About AI and Freelance Writers — What 157 Writers Just Revealed

The AI adoption picture is nuanced In this episode, I share some fascinating insights about AI usage among writers and the impact it’s having on their business. Last month, I sent out a simple 10-question survey to my community about AI usage, fears, and business impact. I received 157 complete responses from writers across every experience level, from brand-new freelancers to 15+ year veterans. What they shared was, in some ways, congruent with what I’ve been saying for the past few months on the topic of AI integration in our businesses as freelancers. But in other ways, the data was very surprising and went against some of my assumptions. You can download the full report here. Overall, here's what I discovered: The story we're telling ourselves about AI and freelance writing — both the doom-and-gloom version and the "AI will solve everything" version — is missing something crucial. The real story is way more nuanced. More interesting. And way more hopeful. Below is a very short, high-level summary of what I uncovered. There’s way more detail in the audio. And, again, you can download my full (and free) PDF report on the survey findings here: The Truth About AI and Freelance Writers: What’s Working, What’s Not, and What’s Next. Key stats & signals Adoption is real: 93% use AI to some degree; ~74% are regular or fully integrated users. Impact splits three ways: 34% say AI elevates their work or enables new offerings; 41% mainly see time savings; ~25% report little or negative impact. The “integration dividend”: Fully integrated users were ~6.5x more likely than non-users to report revenue growth. Client disclosure: 49.7% haven’t told clients they use AI. Among those who did, reactions skew positive/neutral 4:1 over negative. Security is the true brake: Confidentiality concerns are the only fear strongly correlated with hesitation. Market reality check: 86% report their business is doing about the same or better than a year ago. What’s working (and what isn’t) Winners focus on value, not speed. Positioning AI as a quality and capability lift draws nearly double the positive client reactions versus “it helps me go faster.” Dabbling doesn’t pay. Occasional users see flat results; systematic workflows create compounding gains. Efficiency ≠ income, unless pricing and packaging evolve. One in three sees clear AI benefits without revenue growth because time savings get reinvested in the same low-margin work or “free” add-ons. Four writer personas Velocity Builders (29%) – Fully integrated, confident, doubling down. Next move: tighten packaging and raise fees. Cautious Optimizers (28%) – Consistent users, worried about client perceptions. Next move: use “value” framing when discussing process. DIY Skeptics (23%) – Occasional or non-users, held back by security/ethics. Next move: private-mode workflows and clear data policies. Value Elevators (20%) – Regular users leveraging AI for strategy and advisory. Next move: document outcomes and increase rates. Practical moves you can make this week Map your workflow and insert AI where it upgrades research, planning, analysis, repurposing, and client communication—not just drafting. Reframe your client narrative: “AI helps me spend more time on strategic thinking and client-specific insight.” Audit deliverables from the last 6 months and convert “extras” (competitive intel, repurposing plans, frameworks) into defined, billable components. Triage security: adopt approved tools/workspaces for NDA-sensitive work so you can move forward without risk. Recommended paths forward Efficiency Path: Do the same work faster. Good entry point; not durable on its own. Capability Path: Expand offerings and depth; move up the value ladder. Leadership Path: Guide clients on their own AI integration and workflows; highest leverage. Resources & next steps AI Advantage Bootcamp: Registration opens around October 20. Be on the lookout for details. And subscribe to my email list if you’re not already. Share the episode: Know a freelancer rethinking their positioning with AI? Send this their way.