State of Independence in America 2023

The latest survey State of Independence in America 2023 by MBO Partners offers a rare insight into freelancing and the broader gig economy in the USA, based on a statistically representative data sample.

Its wide scope covers freelancers, independent professionals, and solopreneurs alongside semi-independent gig workers. However, thanks to a simple three-tier segmentation of Full-Time, Part-Time, and Occasional Independents it allows for better understanding which trends observed in the data are most relevant to regular freelancers.

The full 28-page report is arguably the most remarkable in the 13 years these studies have been produced. Here are the 3 most interesting highlights:

1. The U.S. freelance economy continues to grow significantly. The trigger was the covid pandemic, but the established trend persists and, in some respects, is even getting stronger. Instead of the anticipated “yo-yo” effect with a return to normal, there is an increase in people who work as independents, either occasionally or full-time.
2. The majority of independents are not worried that artificial intelligence will replace their jobs in the foreseeable future. On the contrary, they are exploring and using the new AI tools (71%).
3. Conversely, there is stagnation in the so-called creator economy, where there seems to be a lack of a “middle class” regarding earnings between successful creators/influencers and those at the low-income bottom. Thus, the income distribution differs from traditional freelancing, more closely resembling that of the showbiz/entertainment industry.

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