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How AI, Gen Z, Freelancers, and the Rise of Influencers Will Redefine Work in 2025

– Ray Grady

The future of work and business operations is quickly changing and 2025 is shaping up to be a year of transformation.

From organizations going all-in on adopting artificial intelligence (AI) with the upcoming release of ChatGPT 5 to companies striving to control employees through extremely unpopular return-to-office mandates, companies will find they need to pivot and embrace change in a similar way that they did when the pandemic hit five years ago.

Additional force factors organizations must consider include the growing number of GenZs joining the workforce, as they are prioritizing autonomy and flexible work arrangements over traditional employment structures.

This is one of the things causing companies to reexamine their talent strategies to ensure they can quickly access the skills they need and grow as efficiently as possible.

Change is inevitable, and with change in mind, I put together some of the following trends and predictions for the coming year.

Agentic AI Will Take the Enterprise by Storm

Organizations have been dabbling with AI, and in 2025, we’ll see a major uptick in the adoption and implementation of AI agents across the enterprise.

We’ve already seen AI adoption across sales, marketing, customer service, and HR teams gaining momentum.

Businesses will continue to experiment with AI and then put plans in place on how to move toward full-scale deployment, deciding between private, open-source, and custom models.

This year will likely mark a pivotal shift for agentic AI as generative AI becomes fully integrated into enterprise workflows, driving efficiencies and transforming business operations.

Influencers Will be the Fastest Growing Category of Freelance Talent

Today the influencer industry is worth around $250 billion and is expected to double in the next two years. 

We’ve seen our customers work with more influencers than ever before, tapping into these members driving the creator economy at record rates – there’s been a 300% year-over-year increase in influencer volume across the agency and client marketing teams on the platform.

Influencers will be the fastest-growing freelance category next year because they are tapped by so many different industries – marketing, advertising, entertainment, retail, public interest groups, and even politics. It’s not going to stop there.

There is no limit to the various ways hiring them can benefit a brand, cause, or event.

RTO Mandates & Gen Z Will Fuel the Rise of the Freelance and Gig Economy

As workers at companies like Amazon, JP Morgan, and even Disney grapple with return-to-office mandates in 2025, we will see a notable shift towards freelance, gig, and remote work.

This is especially true of Gen Z professionals, as nearly three in four Gen Zs prefer working for themselves vs. a corporation or enjoy managing multiple jobs more than having one position.

The resistance to traditional office settings is expected to grow, with employees favoring flexible, virtual roles that allow people to work when they want, from where they want.

As companies adapt to these preferences, long-term employment tenure will become less common, with more workers embracing the “digital nomad” lifestyle and balancing multiple gigs or freelance roles across diverse industries.

Talent Strategy Shift – Companies Will Build & Manage Their Own Talent Networks

In 2025, the popularity of direct sourcing will grow as companies increasingly prioritize managing their own freelancer and contractor networks internally.

Instead of relying on staffing agencies or managed service providers, large companies will leverage their brand power to attract, vet, and retain freelance talent directly.

It’s a shift to corporate talent strategies that has been a long time coming.

Companies will be able to streamline talent acquisition and reduce costs associated with staffing vendors while creating a highly curated pool of freelancers and contractors, tailored to their specific business needs.

Economic Uncertainty and Challenges

In 2025, the economy is expected to face continued challenges, with indicators like revised job reports and fluctuating interest rates suggesting a less stable foundation than headline stats may imply.

While stock markets have seen strong performance recently, broader economic health may remain strained, reflecting underlying volatility and potentially limiting growth opportunities in various sectors.

2025 will be a year when we all experience a huge shift in work as we know it.

Many organizations could struggle due to economic uncertainty and the need to address talent and skills gaps they’re not prepared for.

However, companies that willingly embrace the coming changes with the goal of not just stabilizing but growing their business – from the introduction of new AI tools and technologies to accepting new work structures to becoming strategic about how they acquire the talent they need – will set themselves up to thrive in the new year and beyond.

About the Author

Ray Grady is the CEO of Worksuite.

He brings over 20 years of experience in scaling high-growth B2B organizations, leading the company in designing and executing Worksuite’s vision, strategic growth plans, and company operations.

Prior to joining Worksuite, Ray held several executive positions including CEO of Conexiom and SVP, COO, and GM of B2B Commerce at Salesforce.

Previously, Ray was President and COO of CloudCraze, where he led the company through its 2018 acquisition by Salesforce.

Ray lives in the Chicago area with his family and in his free time, he likes to play golf (poorly) and wakesurf.

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