#gig-economy

#gig-economy

In writer / director Julian Glander's new animated sci-fi feature Boys Go to Jupiter, a young gig worker named Billy 5000 ( Planet Money's Jack Corbett) hoverboards his way through life in Florida with only one thing on his mind: he needs $5,000 and is willing to deliver as much food as it takes to make the cash. At first, the delivery guy's semi-magical, "let's get this bread" style of thinking seems to stem from his fixation on a hustlebro streamer's videos.

Daniel Medved, a single dad of three in Seattle, said his situation limits him to only fully remote roles, which shrinks his application pool. He said his company has been more than helpful when it comes to raising his family. "Flexibility has been the single most powerful retention tool that my company has had," Medved said. He needs to get his two daughters and son ready for school daily and "If you add a commute to that, the math doesn't work."

Megha Yethadka, global head of Uber AI Solutions, revealed the new gigs in a Thursday LinkedIn post in which she said drivers sometimes have downtime during the day or might want to make some extra cash after hours. Yethadka said the work can involve reviewing photos, counting objects, classifying text, recording audio, or digitizing receipts. She said the gigs are "Powering our enterprise customers worldwide for their gen AI models or consumer applications."

The gig economy isn't just about food delivery or ridesharing anymore. It's grown into a space where skilled workers can turn expertise into real, sustainable income. Many of the best opportunities now go beyond quick cash and offer meaningful, long-term potential. Successful gig workers today aren't just chasing tasks; they're building client relationships and honing specialized skills that pay more. This shift transforms gig work from side hustles into thriving independent careers. Here are 12 gigs that can truly be worth your time.

In a surprising deal that was somewhat brokered by Gavin Newsom, Uber and Lyft are going to let their 800,000 California rideshare drivers unionize and get collective bargaining rights, though drivers can still refuse to join the union. According to the union group SEIU California, there are now 800,000 rideshare drivers in the state, and that's one out every 24 California workers who are at least sometimes gig drivers. And Uber and Lyft have traditionally been notoriously resistant to giving them minimum wage guarantees or any form of job benefits.

Newsom called it an "historic agreement between workers and business that only California could deliver."

Here's what astonishes me: sometimes those with the most are the least generous. One DoorDash shift, I delivered a $40 order to a family in an upscale neighborhood - almost a 20-minute drive from the restaurant, with homes easily worth over $1 million. They tipped $3. After accounting for the distance from the store to the customer's home, I made the equivalent of $8.50 an hour for that Panera run.

DoorDash has called the proposal "extreme" and said it "puts delivery and the benefits it brings at risk." And "when app lobbyists talk, many Council members pay close attention," writes The City's Claudia Irizarry Aponte.

It was super structured and ran like a well-oiled machine; I needed a little more ownership and a little more chaos. After about three years, I quit to scale my side business: I'm a full-stack email marketer who creates email campaigns - including email copy, design, development, and implementation - for direct-to-consumer and business-to-business companies globally. I use the platform Fiverr to find clients. My prices range from $100 for a single brief to $3,000+ per month for a done-for-you service.

"Have a Grubby day!" is a frequent refrain in Julian Glander's Boys Go to Jupiter. It's the catchphrase for Grubster, a Grubhub-esque food-delivery service for which Billy works, reflecting his life's humiliations in the gig economy.

The potential for chaos at jazz festivals often stems from the unique situations created when local musicians augment visiting ensembles, demonstrating skill and adaptability.

Elias, a Cuban immigrant, drives for Lyft, earning uncertain wages while facing the threat of arrest by immigration officials without legal status or protections.

I was born into and raised by people who struggled to set goals and provide for their kids, so I knew I wanted something better for my own when I decided to settle down. Unfortunately, to give my son the best future possible, I had to give up any concept of retiring.

Mayor Eric Adams claims that the Department of Sustainable Delivery will support delivery workers, enhance pedestrian safety, and hold delivery app companies accountable for pressure on gig workers.

"The app lockouts are really preventing Flex drivers from being free to choose when they want to work," said Maya Pinto, senior researcher and policy analyst at NELP.

Khosrowshahi stated that "Tipping is entirely optional," advising customers to tip only if they feel they received exceptional service during their ride.

Each ride costs exactly $4.20 because of course it does. Nothing says autonomous Robotaxi quite like a weed joke and wink from the billionaire CEO.

When the City Council passed a law that forced restaurant delivery companies to create a nightmarish scheduling system, workers had to book full shifts just to deliver.

More than two-thirds of riders and drivers in UK's 'gig economy' suffer anxiety over long hours and bad ratings, highlighting their precarious working conditions.

The Employment Rights Bill aims to enhance protections for workers while ensuring that businesses can operate efficiently, creating a more equitable work environment.

I started as a freelance crowd worker on Amazon Mechanical Turk...Now, I do everything from training AI voice assistants to rewriting chatbot responses.

Shawnika Howell, a nurse with 13 years of experience, turned to the nursing app Clipboard for gig work during the pandemic, seeking flexibility and better pay.

Often, I find myself at the kitchen table until midnight, reviewing chatbot responses and juggling multiple projects across various platforms to help train AI.