Top 20 Gig Startups, ‘Remote Jobs’ Google Searches Hit a Record High, Robotaxis Will Always Be Human, and More...

Approximately 60 million independent workers in the United States represent $1.5 trillion in US GDP and growing. Projections estimate that 50% of our US workforce will be independent workers by 2025- 2030. The Gig Economy represents a trend that will digitally transform the future of work.

Every?organization?in?every industry?needs a Gig Economy strategy. Not having one is like missing the internet trend in 1990 or the mobile revolution in 2010.

The Freelance Revolution

The Industrial Revolution of our time is the rise of independent contractors and the globalization of knowledge work. We can see the US workforce undergoing a massive structural change.

What the Gig Economy Does to a Human?- Joanne McNeil's novel "Wrong Way" delves into the effects of technological progress on gig workers, centering on Teresa, a worker for a tech company. It illustrates the dehumanizing nature of gig work, depicting it as incomplete and unstable and reducing workers to interchangeable parts. The novel contemplates the human toll of tech advancement, positing that pursuing stability and a meaningful life story is becoming more challenging in the digital, gig economy era.

Top 20 Startups For Gig Workers?- The gig economy in India, characterized by temporary and flexible jobs often found through online platforms, offers benefits like flexibility and cost savings but raises concerns over gig workers' lack of benefits and job security. Government policies must support and protect these workers' rights. The growth in this sector is highlighted by the prominence of startups like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, which have played a key role in providing opportunities and shaping the future of flexible employment.

22 gig economy statistics for 2023?- The gig economy, characterized by freelance and short-term job opportunities, has seen rapid growth recently, driven by factors like an increasingly mobile workforce, the proliferation of digital platforms, and the impact of COVID-19. Despite its significant presence in the workforce, accurately defining and gathering data on the gig economy is complex due to its diverse nature and the absence of comprehensive official statistics. This leads to varying interpretations and figures regarding its scale and impact.

Will Humans Always Be Part Of A Robotaxi Future??- Motional's Remote Vehicle Assistance (RVA) agents are integral to monitoring robotaxi fleets for safety and handling traffic issues. Yet, the challenge is making these operations profitable compared to gig economy drivers. Early autonomous vehicle development relied heavily on human safety drivers to address public concerns. Still, the current focus is on minimizing human intervention in robotaxis while maintaining remote human monitoring for complex situations. Motional's goal is to reduce dependence on human monitors in robotaxi operations. Still, there are ongoing concerns about the economic viability of these fleets against traditional gig economy drivers, given the additional costs of specialized hardware and trained RVA agents.

AI Meets Talent: The Age of Generative AI

With the "Big Bang" moment in November 2022, OpenAI's ChatGPT was launched, ushering in a new era of generative AI, accelerating the fusion of Technology and talent, and presenting challenges and opportunities for individuals and businesses alike.

How generative AI will create a developer talent shortage?- The impact of generative AI on the software development industry could lead to a shortage of skilled engineers for complex and creative tasks, as AI automates roles typically filled by junior developers. There's a growing need to redefine junior developer roles, focusing on training in prompt engineering, testing, and handling non-deterministic outcomes of large language models. To address the impending skills shortage, the industry must invest in educational initiatives and upskilling programs, nurturing talent and promoting continuous learning while giving developers early exposure to AI's influence on software development workflows.

Amazon Will Train on AI Skills 2 Million Workers by 2025?- Amazon's "AI Ready" program aims to train two million workers in AI skills by 2025, addressing the shortage of AI talent, as 73% of employers prioritize hiring AI-skilled staff. In addition to AWS's program to train 29 million people in cloud computing, "AI Ready" includes new AI courses, scholarships, and an Hour of Code event to introduce students to coding and AI. The program offers free courses for various audiences, focusing on prompt engineering, machine learning, and building generative AI applications.

71% Of Employers May Be Left Behind In The Generative AI Race?- The 2023 Skills Index report from BTG reveals that approximately 71% of employers face difficulties in integrating artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, into their non-technical workflows, despite the high demand for data science, AI, and machine learning skills. The challenges include unclear AI regulations, limited leadership understanding, data protection concerns, and uncertainties about the best application of AI. The article recommends solutions like AI awareness training, consultation with AI experts, AI change management and focus groups, and extensive training across all employee levels to facilitate effective AI adoption and integration.

The Changing Workplace

We see unprecedented numbers of companies implementing remote work programs. How we work has forever changed and requires new skills and leadership approaches.

The Twentysomethings Shaping The Future Of Work, Talking Remote With Zapier's CEO And More?- Forbes' "Future of Work" newsletter highlights the Forbes Under 30 list, showcasing young founders, leaders, and researchers reshaping various fields, including business, with innovative AI tools, HR platforms, and career services. The United Auto Workers union is expanding its influence beyond traditional automakers, with efforts to unionize workers at companies like Toyota and Tesla amidst broader trends of growing union strength in various sectors. Zapier CEO Wade Foster discusses the challenges and strategies of building a remote work culture, including balancing company needs with employee well-being and leveraging smaller, localized events to engage with customers and employees.

'Remote jobs' Google searches hit a record high, but the top 5 occupations might surprise you?- In August 2023, searches for "remote jobs" by U.S.-based Google users reached a record high, particularly spiking in January and August, following holiday and summer vacation periods. The top job-related searches were about becoming a real estate agent, notary, travel agent, flight attendant, or pilot. Additionally, many people with academic degrees searched for guidance on applying their degrees in fields like psychology, biology, business, criminal justice, and communications.

I'm a Gen Zer who found my 9-to-5 soul crushing until work-from-home changed my life?- A Gen Zer's transition to remote work during the pandemic marked a significant shift away from the challenging 9-to-5 schedule, leading to improved work-life balance. This change offered more flexibility for activities like cooking, exercising, and socializing and spurred a broader reevaluation of traditional work norms among the Gen Z population. The move towards a hybrid work model, influenced by the financial implications of the pandemic, allowed for a more balanced lifestyle that combines the advantages of both remote and office-based work.

PAUL ESTES has been at the cutting edge of technology for over 20 years with leadership roles at Dell, Amazon, Microsoft, MURAL, MagicLeap, and Ally Robotics. He struggled to balance his life with these fast-moving leadership roles, so he hired his first virtual assistant, transforming how he lived and worked. He shares his experience in his best-selling book?Gig Mindset, which helps people and organizations understand that now is the time to address systemic?location bias?and encourage companies to reach beyond their organizational boundaries to engage the world's best minds.??

He is inspired by the work of the late?Leila Janah, author of?Give Work: Reversing Poverty One Job?at a Time, and her quote, "Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not." This inspiration inspired Paul to lead a team of progressive HR, procurement, and legal trailblazers to launch Microsoft's Gig Economy freelance program.??

Paul is the former host of the?Work on Demand Podcast. Each week, Paul provides insights and perspective to over 100,000 readers of his weekly LinkedIn newsletter, and he frequently shares his insights as a keynote speaker and panelist.