


If generative AI represents a tectonic shift in the way we work, offshore outsourced workers are at the fault lines. But while some brace for layoffs or diminishing commissions, others have embraced generative AI tools in an effort to keep ahead of the curve. Many said they are already seeing generative AI change the demand for their work and the stability of their income. Rest of World spoke to outsourced workers across different industries and regions, including call center operators in Manila, programmers in Lahore, and designers in Cairo. As generative AI tools present a new model for cost cutting, pressure is quickly mounting for these outsourced workers to adapt or risk losing work.
#Adobe illustrator for fashion design software#
These include workers hired per commission or on a contractual basis, such as freelance copywriters, artists, and software developers, as well as more formal offshore workforces like customer service agents. Some six months later, one global labor force is at the frontline of the generative AI revolution: offshore outsourced workers. Since the blockbuster launch of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, future-of-work pontificators, AI ethicists, and Silicon Valley developers have been fiercely debating how generative AI will impact the way we work. “Someone who doesn’t have that talent or invested years of practice in getting the skills to just ‘win’ a contest with an illustration he or she didn’t really do - that bothers me,” said Deustúa, who refuses to use AI tools in his work. In recent months, he has seen people submitting entries created using AI image generators such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Dall-E. He first noticed AI-powered submissions on 99designs’ popular “contest” feature, which allows clients to post an open call for designs before selecting their favorite. In exchange, his clients “get some decent art at a fair price.”īut recently, Deustúa, like many creative workers globally, has encountered a new kind of competition: generative artificial intelligence. “I earn more than I would with local clients,” he told Rest of World. Most of his clients are startups and small businesses in the U.S., with a few loyal customers in Europe and Australia. He sells his illustrations, which feature his signature cartoon style, under the pseudonym Fafarhd Deustúa.ĭeustúa is based in Guadalajara, Mexico. An illustrator who advertises on the freelance artist platform 99designs, Deustúa’s recent works are eclectic - they include a vintage-style logo for a champagne brand, a poster for an international fertilizer convention, a tango album cover, and a handful of custom tattoo designs. Afael Rodríguez Deustúa made his career by drawing on demand.
