[Survey Report] In the Generative AI Era, 47.7% of Freelance IT Engineers Feel Threatened; High-Earners Accelerate Shift to Upstream Processes.
3-shake Inc. surveyed 246 freelance IT engineers on the impact of generative AI. While 46% feel threatened, high-earners are shifting toward AI development and upstream engineering. The survey highlights a growing divide in learning motivation as AI boosts productivity.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 11:50
- 🔍 Collected: May 31, 2026 at 23:10 (107h 20m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 01:18 (26h 8m after Collected)
3-shake Inc. conducted a survey on freelance IT engineers regarding their actual use of generative AI, career perspectives, and learning behaviors. The results reveal that nearly half of the respondents feel threatened by generative AI, and many are already taking concrete actions regarding their future careers and learning strategies.
Background: The widespread adoption of generative AI has significantly altered the market environment, required skills, and career outlook for freelance IT engineers. This survey aims to clarify how AI is utilized in the field and its impact on project acquisition and pricing, providing insights for future growth strategies. The survey was conducted online from April 10 to April 17, 2026, targeting 246 individuals aged 20 to 50.
Key findings include: approximately 46% of engineers perceive generative AI as a "threat," while over 30% have reduced their work time by more than 30% through AI utilization. About 60% of respondents spend at least one hour per week learning about AI. Regarding project acquisition, the number of those who find it "easier" and "harder" to secure projects is equal, suggesting a polarization of skills.
Notably, high-earners (hourly rate of 6,000 JPY or more) are actively shifting toward building AI themselves or moving into upstream processes that are difficult for AI to replace. In contrast, those earning less than 6,000 JPY per hour tend to maintain the status quo. Moving forward, the willingness to learn AI implementation and security will likely be the key factor in determining an engineer's survival strategy.
Background: The widespread adoption of generative AI has significantly altered the market environment, required skills, and career outlook for freelance IT engineers. This survey aims to clarify how AI is utilized in the field and its impact on project acquisition and pricing, providing insights for future growth strategies. The survey was conducted online from April 10 to April 17, 2026, targeting 246 individuals aged 20 to 50.
Key findings include: approximately 46% of engineers perceive generative AI as a "threat," while over 30% have reduced their work time by more than 30% through AI utilization. About 60% of respondents spend at least one hour per week learning about AI. Regarding project acquisition, the number of those who find it "easier" and "harder" to secure projects is equal, suggesting a polarization of skills.
Notably, high-earners (hourly rate of 6,000 JPY or more) are actively shifting toward building AI themselves or moving into upstream processes that are difficult for AI to replace. In contrast, those earning less than 6,000 JPY per hour tend to maintain the status quo. Moving forward, the willingness to learn AI implementation and security will likely be the key factor in determining an engineer's survival strategy.
FAQ
Are these findings applicable to the Taiwanese market?
Yes, as Taiwan's IT sector rapidly adopts AI, the trends of skill transformation and shifting toward high-level engineering are highly relevant.