Impact of Generative AI on Freelance and Professional Artists: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is changing the way digital art is created and shared. It provides new opportunities for faster content creation but it also creates concerns about artists careers and creative ownership. This study examined how freelance and professional artists perceive the growing use of GenAI in the creative industry. A descriptive quantitative research design was used. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, and 80 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings show that most participants were familiar with GenAI and understood how these tools work. While many respondents reported that AI had not yet affected their work, nearly one-third experienced a decline in client opportunities. Most artists were concerned that AI models are trained on copyrighted artwork without permission. They also believed that artists should be compensated when their work is used for AI training. Respondents expected freelance artists to face greater challenges in the coming years because of increasing competition from AI-generated content. At the same time, they felt that human creativity, originality, and emotional expression remain difficult to replace. The study concludes that AI should be used as a supporting tool rather than a substitute for artists. Clear copyright policies and fair practices are needed to protect creative professionals while encouraging responsible use of AI.