Artificial intelligence (A.I.) has had a significant impact on freelancers in media-related fields such as journalism, photography, videography, blogging, podcasting, live streaming, graphic design, and coding.

For some, AI caused market shrinkage or disappearance, while others faced the challenge of adapting to rapidly changing markets. A few saw AI as an opportunity to expand their skillset.

A panel of AI-engaged professionals discussed these challenges: digital arts researcher Owen Brierley, PhD, who helped start us on our AI journey; Tony Stubblebine (CEO, Medium.com), who refused to license his users' content to OpenAI and demonetized AI-generated content on the platform; data journalist Jon Schleuss of the Los Angeles Times, president of The News Guild/Communications Workers of America, and lead of that group's national AI committee; and Anis Heydari, the Canadian Media Guild's subject matter expert on AI during their contract negotiations with the CBC.

The CFG's George Butters, an advocate for the safe use of AI tools by freelancers, moderated.