Mark Webster – AuthorityHacker

The rapid proliferation of AI has brought about new and concerning dangers. In an attempt to mitigate the harmful aspects of AI, governments worldwide are responding with various laws and regulations.

To understand the public’s concerns and expectations about governmental AI regulation, we surveyed 2,000 US residents and performed an in-depth analysis of the regulatory landscape across 195 countries.

By examining the effectiveness of current measures and gauging the desire for stricter regulations, our research seeks to provide valuable insights that can inform policymakers, industry leaders, and the public as we navigate this uncharted territory.

Why We Conducted This StudyWe performed this research to understand two things:

How governments are progressing with AI regulations
How the public wants governments to react to the growing perils of AI

This survey is in response to the growing risks of AI.

Some perils are already occurring – such as using AI to scam people, create inappropriate deepfakes, and spread disinformation – while other potential threats lay on the horizon, including widespread job loss, autonomous weapons, and uncontrollable self-aware AI.

As a result, calls for governmental regulation of AI have come from many sectors – including leaders in AI development.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said of AI, “I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong… We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening.” And Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “Congress should engage with AI to support innovation and safeguards.”

Governments have responded with varying degrees of urgency.

The European Parliament is leading the charge with their recent passage of the AI Act – the world’s first major set of regulatory ground rules to govern artificial intelligence.

The UN, led by the United States, adopted its first resolution on AI shortly after, though President Biden is yet to make progress in Congress despite pushing for regulations.

This environment of fear, uncertainty, and disjointed government response prompted us to investigate how US residents feel about governmental regulation of AI.

Most Americans Want Strict AI RegulationsOur survey revealed a significant level of concern and a desire for stricter AI regulations.

A striking 79.8% of respondents believed governments should implement strict AI regulations, even if it means slowing down technological innovation. This highlights the public’s prioritization of safety and ethical considerations over rapid advancement.

When asked about the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks in managing AI risks, 55.5% of respondents considered them effective, with only 14.55% regarding them as “very effective.” This suggests that while some progress has been made, there is still room for improvement in the eyes of the public.

Furthermore, 82.3% of respondents expressed support for either international standards (41.35%) or a mix of international standards and local laws (40.95%) in AI regulation, emphasizing the need for a coordinated global approach.

Privacy emerged as a major concern, with 82.45% of respondents expressing unease about the use of personal data in training AI systems. This figure rose to an alarming 91.96% among respondents in the IT and software industries, with 48.28% indicating the highest level of concern. This underscores the urgent need for robust data protection measures and transparency in AI development.

Lastly, an overwhelming 83.9% of respondents believed that AI companies should pay royalties for copyrighted content used in training AI models. This sentiment reflects the growing debate around intellectual property rights and reveals a desire for creators to receive fair compensation in the age of AI.

AI Regulation Analysis – Current State of the WorldOur analysis reveals that nearly two-thirds of the world’s countries are actively working on regulating AI, with differing levels of progress.

To categorize countries’ progress on AI regulation, we developed a four-tier system:

Comprehensive Regulation Enacted: Countries that have fully developed, enacted, and implemented comprehensive AI regulations. These regulations are broad, covering ethical concerns, privacy, transparency, security, and the societal impact of AI. This level signifies the highest degree of regulatory development.
Active Regulatory Development: Countries with legislation in progress or those with frameworks or guidelines established. It includes nations actively working towards creating, revising, or finalizing AI-specific laws, as well as those that have set non-binding principles, frameworks, or guidelines to guide AI development and use.
Initial Regulatory Efforts: Countries that have recognized the need for AI regulation and have begun preliminary efforts, such as research, stakeholder consultations, or the formation of advisory committees. This category highlights an early stage of engagement without substantial legal or formal guidelines.
No AI Regulation: Countries that have not made discernible efforts towards AI regulation, either due to a lack of action, absence of information, or reliance solely on existing laws that do not specifically address AI.

Of 195 countries, 32 have already enacted comprehensive AI regulations, while 29 are actively working on implementing and finalizing laws. 53 countries are in the initial or drafting stages of their own AI-related regulations.

The European Union and China have taken the lead in AI regulation, albeit with different objectives.

The EU’s AI Act prioritizes minimizing social harms through a comprehensive, risk-based approach, while China’s regulations focus on reasserting state control over information.

Neither approach is likely to favor AI innovation, presenting a challenge for other nations to develop their own unique strategies that balance innovation, safety, and ethical considerations.

The United States and the United Kingdom are currently in the stage of active regulatory development.

The UK government plans on targeted legislative interventions to address gaps in the current regulatory landscape, particularly concerning complex general-purpose AI systems.

In the US, President Biden issued a landmark Executive Order to protect Americans from the potential risks of AI systems.

However, a broader US response hasn’t come to fruition. While some US agencies have completed short-term actions and advanced longer-term directives, the progress of proposed bills in Congress remains uncertain.

Implications of StudyOur survey results show that Americans want strict, comprehensive, and globally coordinated AI regulations. Policymakers and industry leaders must address these concerns and create frameworks that ensure safety, privacy, and ethics while still allowing for innovation.

Our analysis of current AI regulations found that progress is being made, but much work remains. Only 32 out of 195 countries have comprehensive AI laws, meaning most nations are just starting to tackle this critical issue. The lack of a unified global approach makes it hard to ensure consistent standards and reduce risks.

The study also underscores the need for international collaboration in AI regulation. As AI crosses borders, countries must work together to establish global standards and best practices. This requires open communication, sharing knowledge, and a commitment to addressing AI challenges cooperatively.

AI Regulation Findings: Country-By-CountryHere are our complete findings from our analysis of 195 countries:

| Country | AI Regulation Status | More Information | | --- | --- | --- | | Andorra | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | EU’s comprehensive AI law known as the Artificial Intelligence Act. | | Austria | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Comprehensive AI strategy aiming for human-centric AI. | | Belgium | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI strategy focusing on technological impact, social and economic benefits, and ethical aspects. | | Benin | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Adopted a national strategy for AI and megadata. | | Brazil | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Comprehensive legal framework for AI, including LGPD and the National AI Strategy. | | Bulgaria | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI strategy focusing on infrastructure, research capacity, and building trust in society. | | Canada | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Introduced the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), focusing on preventing harm and biased outputs. | | China | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Interim Measures for the Management of Generative AI Services, shaping multilateral AI governance frameworks. | | Cyprus | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI strategy approved by the Council of Ministers, focusing on talent, research, and ethical AI. | | Denmark | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Published its national AI strategy focusing on economic growth and responsible AI development. | | Estonia | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Over 80 AI use-cases in government, approved its second national AI strategy with significant investment. | | Finland | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Over 80 AI use-cases in government, approved its second national AI strategy focusing on societal challenges. | | Germany | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed a comprehensive national AI strategy, ratified the EU AI Act. | | Hungary | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed its National AI Strategy focusing on various aspects including education and regulatory frameworks. | | Ireland | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed National AI Strategy including an AI Standards & Assurance Roadmap, aligning with the EU AI Act. | | Japan | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Actively regulating AI, including guidelines for AI ethics and safety. | | Jordan | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed an AI Strategy and Implementation Roadmap for 2023-2027, focusing on capacity-building and scientific research. | | Latvia | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI strategy aiming to promote AI uptake and growth, focusing on education and legal frameworks. | | Liechtenstein | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Implemented comprehensive AI regulations including the Liechtenstein Blockchain Act. | | Lithuania | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed National AI Strategy focusing on research, education, innovation, and ethical AI deployment. | | Luxembourg | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI Strategy aiming to position the country as a leading digital society, focusing on research and ethical framework. | | Malta | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National AI Strategy aiming for leadership in AI, focusing on investment, innovation, and adoption. | | Monaco | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Implemented UNESCO recommendations on AI ethics, focusing on ethical AI deployment. | | Netherlands | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Analyzed the EU draft AI Act and its overlap with existing regulations. | | Norway | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence focusing on ethical principles. | | Poland | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Adopted its national AI strategy “AI Poland 2030” focusing on education and specialization. | | Qatar | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Qatar has enacted a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. | | Romania | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National Strategic Framework for Artificial Intelligence focusing on reliable infrastructure and trustworthy AI. | | Saudi Arabia | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence focusing on research, innovation, and ethical AI adoption. | | Singapore | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Singapore has launched a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aiming to establish Singapore as a leader in developing and deploying scalable, impactful AI solutions. | | South Korea | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | Developed and enacted comprehensive AI regulations, expected to take effect soon. | | United Arab Emirates (UAE) | Comprehensive Regulation Enacted | AI Strategy 2031 aims to become a world leader in AI, aligning with UAE Centennial 2071. | | Albania | Active Regulatory Development | EU accession negotiations with Albania includes discussions on AI regulations. | | Australia | Active Regulatory Development | Intention to regulate AI, considering AI risk classifications. | | Bangladesh | Active Regulatory Development | Developing national AI strategy for social and economic growth. | | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Active Regulatory Development | Progress toward EU accession, European Commission recommends opening EU accession negotiations. | | Chile | Active Regulatory Development | Discussing a Bill for incorporating legal and ethical considerations into AI development. | | Costa Rica | Active Regulatory Development | Legislators introduced a bill to regulate AI, emphasizing transparency, privacy, and data security. | | El Salvador | Active Regulatory Development | Passed a bill exempting AI companies from certain taxes to attract tech companies. | | France | Active Regulatory Development | Agreed to ratify the EU’s AI Act, marking a breakthrough in the regulation of AI technologies in Europe. | | Georgia | Active Regulatory Development | Debating specific AI legislation, recognizing the significance of AI. | | Haiti | Active Regulatory Development | Facing political challenges, but EU approved comprehensive AI legislation applies based on risk categories. | | Iceland | Active Regulatory Development | Published its National AI Strategy focusing on AI ethics and societal challenges. | | India | Active Regulatory Development | Oscillates between non-regulatory and cautious approaches, considering the Digital India Act for AI regulation. | | Italy | Active Regulatory Development | Draft AI strategy focusing on education, research, ethical frameworks, and public services. | | New Zealand | Active Regulatory Development | New Zealand has introduced its Model Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework and is partnering with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. | | Peru | Active Regulatory Development | Introduced a bill for AI use and regulation, focusing on ethical advancements. | | Philippines | Active Regulatory Development | House Bill No. 7396 aims to promote the development and regulation of AI. | | Portugal | Active Regulatory Development | Presented “AI Portugal 2030” to foster AI use in public and private sectors. | | Russia | Active Regulatory Development | Implemented a special legal framework for AI in Moscow, with concerns on military AI due to brain drain. | | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Active Regulatory Development | UNESCO Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Initiative which aims to develop a sub-regional strategy on the ethical, inclusive and humane use of AI in the Caribbean SIDS. | | Serbia | Active Regulatory Development | Adopted Ethics Guidelines for AI, shaping its AI policy and governance framework. | | Slovakia | Active Regulatory Development | Aiming to build a trustworthy AI ecosystem as part of its digital transformation strategy. | | Slovenia | Active Regulatory Development | Developing a National Programme promoting AI development and use by 2025. | | Spain | Active Regulatory Development | Prepared its market for EU AI regulation, aiming to finalize the AI Act. | | Sweden | Active Regulatory Development | Proposed a Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI. | | Switzerland | Active Regulatory Development | Taking a cautious approach to AI regulations, likely to follow EU regulations. | | Turkey | Active Regulatory Development | Turkey has proposed a National AI Strategy (2021-2025), focusing on research, talent development, education, ethics, standards, and infrastructure. | | Ukraine | Active Regulatory Development | Leading AI innovators, supporting growth without over-regulation. | | United Kingdom | Active Regulatory Development | Proposed a Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI, leading in private investment in AI. | | United States of America | Active Regulatory Development | Biden-Harris Administration strengthening AI safety, security, privacy, and civil rights. | | Algeria | Initial Regulatory Efforts | National strategy on research and innovation in AI. | | Angola | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Regulation on the Law on Video Surveillance, need for further AI regulation development. | | Antigua and Barbuda | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Active work on AI strategies and policies, UNESCO Caribbean AI Initiative. | | Argentina | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Lacks specific AI legislation but adheres to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. | | Armenia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Active technology ecosystem, comprehensive national AI policies still evolving. | | Azerbaijan | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Preparing legal framework for AI use, working on policies and initiatives. | | Bahamas | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Data Protection Act addresses AI risks related to data privacy. | | Bahrain | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Active work on AI strategy, focusing on economic growth using AI. | | Barbados | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Hosted consultation on the draft Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. | | Belarus | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Follows current legislation for AI activities, ESA-AI operates within legal framework. | | Bhutan | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Recognizes AI’s potential for development, encouraging AI research labs. | | Bolivia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Exploring AI’s potential, specific regulations not yet established. | | Brunei | Initial Regulatory Efforts | High rank in Government AI Readiness Index, focusing on data and infrastructure. | | Cabo Verde | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Advancing digital development and connectivity, promoting Internet access and digital transformation. | | Cambodia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Embracing AI and digital transformation, interest in AI adoption across businesses. | | Colombia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Launched an Ethical Framework for AI, advancing in trustworthy AI development. | | Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) | Initial Regulatory Efforts | ARCAI aims to advance research through AI with a human-centered approach. | | Côte d’Ivoire | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Limited information on specific AI regulation, actively working on digital development. | | Croatia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Working on its national AI strategy, focusing on ethical, legal, and macro development aspects. | | Cuba | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Scientific community with relevant AI research, developing a strategy for AI. | | Czechia (Czech Republic) | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Actively working on AI governance, part of EU’s efforts to regulate AI. | | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Establishing the first African AI Research Centre, collaboration with UNIDO and ITU. | | Dominican Republic | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Actively working on its AI strategy, aiming to exploit AI technologies for development. | | Ecuador | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Recognizes AI’s potential in healthcare, security, and environmental protection, preparing with connectivity and tech. | | Egypt | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Adapting to AI complexities, existing laws indirectly govern aspects of AI. | | Eswatini (fmr. “Swaziland”) | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Finalizing a draft national AI policy to promote responsible and sustainable AI implementation. | | Ethiopia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Ministry finalizing a draft national AI policy to create an environment for AI innovation. | | Ghana | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Debating the need for AI legislation, focusing on potential inequality and machine errors. | | Greece | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Developing a comprehensive policy document to regulate AI use, focusing on ethical and cultural aspects. | | Guyana | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Exploring the AI revolution, launching a national digital transformation strategy. | | Holy See (Vatican) | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Released an AI ethics handbook in partnership with Santa Clara University. | | Indonesia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Evolving AI policies, National AI Strategy addressing challenges in various sectors. | | Israel | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Unveiled a comprehensive policy on AI regulation and ethics, addressing challenges and fostering innovation. | | Jamaica | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Forming an AI Task Force to develop a National AI Policy, recognizing the need for responsible innovation. | | Kazakhstan | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Defining legal AI definitions, aiming to develop AI framework based on globally accepted approaches. | | Lebanon | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Developing a national strategy on AI to safeguard fundamental rights. | | Malawi | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Preparing to harness AI for development, existing policies like PDPA can serve as foundation. | | Malaysia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | No specific AI regulations, relying on existing policies like PDPA for ethical AI use. | | Mauritius | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Published an Artificial Intelligence Strategy, exploring AI adoption and aiming for a balance between innovation and regulation. | | Mexico | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Lacks specific AI regulations, utilizing AI in various sectors. | | Mongolia | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Receiving a boost in AI development, aiming to promote AI and marketing synergies. | | Morocco | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Implementing UNESCO recommendations on AI ethics, working on AI development. | | Nigeria | Initial Regulatory Efforts | General and sector-specific laws apply, with data privacy relevant for AI. | | Rwanda | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Launched Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Initiative for ethical and inclusive use of AI. | | Senegal | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Working on AI governance, part of the global conversation on regulating AI. | | South Africa | Initial Regulatory Efforts | South Africa has not yet formalized any policy documents or entered bills to parliament for the regulation of AI. However, the country has appointed a Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to position South Africa as a competitive global player in the digital industrial revolution. | | Tajikistan | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Aiming for 1% of GDP from AI by 2026, forming an AI Council to contribute to long-term development. | | Thailand | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Proposed Draft Royal Decree on Business Operations that Use Artificial Intelligence System. | | Trinidad and Tobago | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Exploring ways to establish a dedicated task force for AI strategies and policies. | | Uganda | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Presented a national roadmap for AI regulation, balancing innovation and security. | | Uruguay | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Substantial progress in AI readiness, developing an AI Strategy for the Digital Government. | | Uzbekistan | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Establishing an Artificial Intelligence Council to develop a National AI Strategy. | | Vietnam | Initial Regulatory Efforts | Proposed National Strategy on AI (2021-2030). | | Afghanistan | No AI Regulation | NATO Review’s article on An Artificial Intelligence Strategy for NATO outlines NATO’s approach to AI adoption and use. | | Belize | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Botswana | No AI Regulation | Open to AI’s potential for development, specifics not widely documented. | | Burkina Faso | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Burundi | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Cameroon | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Central African Republic | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Chad | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Comoros | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Djibouti | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Dominica | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Equatorial Guinea | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Eritrea | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Fiji | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Gabon | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Gambia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Grenada | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Guatemala | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Guinea | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Guinea-Bissau | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Honduras | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Iran | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Iraq | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Kenya | No AI Regulation | Relies on existing laws like the Data Protection Act of 2019 for AI-related issues. | | Kiribati | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Kuwait | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Kyrgyzstan | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Laos | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Lesotho | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Liberia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Libya | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Madagascar | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Maldives | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Mali | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Marshall Islands | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Mauritania | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Micronesia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Moldova | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Montenegro | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Mozambique | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Myanmar (formerly Burma) | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Namibia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Nauru | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Nepal | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Nicaragua | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Niger | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | North Korea | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | North Macedonia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Oman | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Pakistan | No AI Regulation | Existing laws address aspects related to AI and cybersecurity. | | Palau | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Palestine State | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Panama | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Papua New Guinea | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Paraguay | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Saint Lucia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Samoa | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | San Marino | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Sao Tome and Principe | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Seychelles | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Sierra Leone | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Solomon Islands | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Somalia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | South Sudan | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Sri Lanka | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Sudan | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Suriname | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Syria | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Tanzania | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Timor-Leste | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Togo | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Tonga | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Tunisia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Turkmenistan | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Tuvalu | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Vanuatu | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Venezuela | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Yemen | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Zambia | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. | | Zimbabwe | No AI Regulation | No specific information on AI regulation. |

Methodology 🧪 How did we get these numbers and data?

To gauge public sentiment on AI regulations, we conducted a survey of 2,000 individuals in the United States, aged 18-55. The survey focused on five key areas:

Effectiveness of current AI regulations
Need for stricter measures
Importance of international standards
Privacy concerns
Royalties for copyrighted material used in AI training.

To categorize each country’s progress on AI regulation, we identified four categories of progress:

Comprehensive Regulation Enacted
Active Regulatory Development
Initial Regulatory Efforts
No AI Regulation

We then reviewed each country’s recent legislative achievements and upcoming priorities to see where each ranked in this framework.

View Details

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and economic uncertainty, we embarked on a comprehensive survey to gauge the sentiments of the American workforce regarding job security over the next five years.

Drawing from a meticulously screened pool of 1,200 U.S. residents with full-time employment, we aimed to uncover the underlying anxieties and perceptions shaping the current employment landscape.

Why We Conducted This StudyOur investigation was spurred by the alarming wave of layoffs sweeping across industries — particularly in tech — the speculative yet tangible impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work, and uncertainty surrounding the global economy.

According to Layoffs.fyi, there have been more than 296,000 tech layoffs since 2023, with 33,000 coming in the first 5 weeks of 2024.

Hundreds of large companies — including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Spotify — have made headlines for reducing their workforce by up to 25%.

Part of the cause is excessive hiring during the pandemic. Roger Lee, the founder of Layoffs.fyi, told CNN that many tech companies are trying to “correct for their over-hiring during the pandemic surge.”

However, over-hiring isn’t the only cause. Dataminr CEO Ted Bailey — who laid off 20% of staff in November 2023 — states that AI is playing a role in their personnel decisions.

According to a memo shared with TechCrunch, Bailey says that ”recent rapid advancements of their AI platform” contributed to the layoffs.

The uncertainty surrounding the economy is also impacting public perception. While Brian Rose, a senior U.S. economist at UBS, told the New York Times that he predicts a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy after years of COVID-induced inflation, the inflation rate remains high compared to the last decade.

This reality isn’t lost on Americans — a Gallup poll reveals 63% of Americans say the economy is getting worse, with the same amount saying inflated prices pose a moderate or severe financial hardship.

This environment of post-pandemic cuts, uncertainty surrounding the impact of AI, and economic fears prompted us to seek answers: how do full-time U.S. workers feel about their job security amidst these changes?

Unveiling American Workers’ Growing AnxietyFear of job loss has rippled across the American workforce — 54.58% of full-time workers have increased concerns about job loss, with 27.08% feeling significant concern.

Our survey cross-referenced these results with a variety of demographic factors, including age, gender, education, income levels, industry, job role, and company size. Here are the most interesting findings:

Men are more concerned than women. Men expressed greater concern (62.87%) than women (47.53%), possibly reflecting the 3:1 male-to-female gender distribution in tech firms.

Higher earners are more concerned. Individuals in the highest income brackets feel most vulnerable, with 75% of those making 125k to 150k and 72.48% of those making 150k and above expressing concern. This may be swayed by the higher salaries in the volatile tech industry.

There’s a generational divide. The concern was most palpable among the 25 to 44 age group, with 62.2% expressing concerns. This showcases a generational divide in job security perceptions, as less than 50% of those 45 and older share their sentiment. Younger people may be more aware of the capabilities of AI and are also more likely to hold less senior positions that may be at increased risk of being cut.

More education = more job security anxiety. Individuals with at least four years of college education express more concern (61.02%) than those with less, possibly due to the higher stakes associated with their roles.

Executives are very concerned. Out of all job roles, high-level roles such as C-level executives (85% concerned) and Directors (78.38% concerned) express the highest levels of concern, which may indicate the visibility people in these roles have regarding the future of their industries.

Workers in larger companies feel particularly vulnerable. Those working in larger companies (500 – 1000 employees) feel particularly at risk (74.33%). This sharply contrasts with the lessened concerns of self-employed workers (42.47%) and those in smaller companies (below 25 employees, 45.38%).

The global economy weighs heavily on most. 73.61% of respondents have increased concerns due to recent global economic trends.

Job Security Concerns By IndustryWhen we break down job security fears by industry, it’s clear that the tech sector is most concerned. Information — Services And Data (89.66%) and Software (74.42%) are the industries where workers are most concerned about job loss.

This is significantly higher than less tech-centric sectors like Fashion/Apparel (30%), Transportation and Warehousing (41.35%), and Personal Services (42.93%).

This infographic provides a full breakdown of each industry’s level of concern:

AI’s Looming ShadowA significant portion of respondents (54.58%) anticipate that AI will impact their job security within the next five years.

Sectors that have a high reliance on computer use — like Software (67.44%), Finance (67.57%), and Human Resources (64.29%) — express the highest levels of concern.

In contrast, people in sectors that involve more human-to-human interaction — such as education (43.04%) and real estate (44.68%) — are least concerned about the impact of AI on their livelihoods.

People in IT are noticeably more worried than anyone else. 72.42% of people in IT positions are concerned, with nearly half (48.28%) completely agreeing that AI will affect their job security. Less than 7% believe it won’t have any impact.

These fears may be warranted, as the nature of how we work is quickly shifting. A study from OpenAI estimates that 19% of U.S. workers could see 50% of their workplace tasks impacted by publicly available GPT-4 technology, and the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report predicts that 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted between 2023 and 2028.

In addition, these shifts are likely to impact job security. A report from McKinsey states that 30% of hours currently worked could be automated by 2030, and a Goldman Sachs report suggests that 300 million full-time jobs may be exposed to automation in the coming years.

Recovery From Job LossWe also asked respondents about their ability to recover from job loss.

If faced with job loss, 42% of full-time workers don’t have enough savings to support them until they find a new job, and 38.58% are not confident in their ability to secure new employment within 3 months.

According to Statista, there are 132.59 million full-time employees in the United States, which means 55.68 million Americans — and their dependents — would have immediate financial struggles if faced with job loss.

This aligns with recent data on the decline in Americans’ emergency savings. According to Bankrate’s 2023 Emergency Savings Report, 49% of adults have fewer savings compared to a year ago, and 22% have no emergency savings at all.

The financial impact of job loss seems less severe in the tech-related industry sectors, where only 29.17% feel financially unprepared for potential unemployment. However, with Statista reporting 3 million U.S. residents working in tech, that still constitutes a million people. 38.89% feel unconfident about finding a new job within 3 months, similar to the other industries’ respondents.

It’s clear that sudden unemployment would cause immediate financial problems for many Americans, and threats to job security from many fronts are causing a majority of workers to feel the weight of that stress.

Potential Paths ForwardThe widespread concerns about AI replacing human workers raise an important question: what can Americans do now to AI-proof their careers?

It’s important to note that the proliferation of AI isn’t only set to eliminate jobs — it should also create new opportunities. A World Economic Forum report states that while it may disrupt an estimated 85 million jobs by 2025, the new technology may simultaneously create 97 million new jobs. Workers who learn to use AI now may have an easier time taking advantage of these new positions.

While the rapid advancement of AI technology makes it hard to provide concrete guidelines for AI upskilling, Harvard Business Review and Fast Company have a few suggestions:

Become familiar with available AI tools and integrate them into your workflow.
Hone soft skills that machines strive to emulate, such as communication and empathy.
Build strong relationships with colleagues and peers.
Cultivate unique expertise and develop your personal brand.

An IBM study also found that 87% of executives believe job roles are more likely to be augmented than replaced by generative AI, lending further credence to AI upskilling as a safeguard against unemployment.

For those who are still choosing a career — or are open to a change — it may also be worthwhile to explore careers that are least likely to be automated. The U.S. Career Institute has compiled a list of 65 jobs with a projected 0% risk of being automated, with options including careers in medicine, social services, engineering, public service, and education.

Methodology & Participants 🧪 We surveyed 1,200 vetted US full-time employees spanning a diverse range of industries to capture a comprehensive snapshot of the American workforce’s sentiments on job security.

Our survey also captured full demographic profiles of all respondents, allowing us to cross-reference data with a variety of demographic data, including:

Gender
Education level
Income level
Ethnicity
Age
Job role
Industry
Company size

Here is a demographic breakdown of the survey participant:

Gender

Male: 46%
Female: 54%

Age

| 25 – 34 | 26.50% | | 35 – 44 | 23.83% | | 45 – 54 | 16.50% | | > 54 | 20.42% |

Ethnicity

| Asian | 3.50% | | Black | 12.50% | | Hispanic | 3.58% | | Latino | 1.67% | | White | 67.42% | | Multiracial | 2.75% | | Other | 4.00% | | Prefer not to say | 3.42% |

Education

| High school | 30.25% | | Vocational/Technical college | 18.00% | | University | 29.17% | | Post-graduate | 16.58% |

Income Levels (Per Year)

| Between $25,000 and $49,999 | 22.33% | | Between $50,000 and $74,999 | 18.58% | | Between $75,000 and $99,999 | 15.42% | | Between $100,000 and $124,999 | 9.33% | | Between $125,000 and $149,999 | 8.67% | | $150,000 or more | 9.08% | | Prefer not to say | 2.25% |

Company Size

| 2-5 | 7.17% | | 6-10 | 6.42% | | 11-25 | 7.17% | | 26-50 | 9.08% | | 51-100 | 9.25% | | 101-250 | 7.25% | | 251-500 | 10.50% | | 501-1000 | 12.33% | | 1001-5000 | 8.83% | | Greater than 5000 | 11.33% | | Prefer not to say | 1.67% |

Implications of StudyOur study shows the American workforce has widespread concerns about job security, especially among tech workers, younger workers, higher earners, and those at larger companies.

These concerns are fueled by recent layoffs, the prospect of widespread AI automation, and a perception of instability underpinning the global economy.

AI automation is a particularly concerning threat to job security, with prominent companies predicting AI will be able to automate many tasks and roles. Computer-based jobs seem particularly vulnerable to augmentation or replacement.

Coupled with the inability of many Americans to cope financially with a loss of employment, it’s clear that potential hardship may lie ahead for the average American.

However, early movers who adapt their skills to include AI use or switch to careers unlikely to be affected by AI will likely have a smoother transition into the new era of work.

View Details

The power of social media is growing year by year – 5.04 billion people around the world are now using social media, with 266 million new users coming online within the last year.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we set out to discover who the most popular female influencers are on major social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube – and how they are using their influence and wealth to help others.

Most Followed Female Celebrities on Social MediaOur research found that women listed in the top 100 accounts per social network have over 10 billion followers in total.

As of 2024, the most followed women on social media (across all major platforms) are:

| Rank | Influencer | Followers | | 1 | Selena Gomez | 589.8M | | 2 | Ariana Grande | 553.3M | | 3 | Kylie Jenner | 507.5M | | 5 | Taylor Swift | 458M | | 6 | Kim Kardashian | 451.1M | | 7 | Beyoncé | 367.5M | | 8 | Katy Perry | 365.4M | | 9 | Khloé Kardashian | 347.9M | | 10 | Kendall Jenner | 332.9M | | 11 | Jennifer Lopez | 332.6M | | 12 | Rihanna | 312.8M | | 13 | Kourtney Kardashian | 258.4M |

Here are some interesting insights with regard to popularity and wealth:

The Kardashian/Jenner clan holds 6 of the top 12 spots, with a combined follower count of 1.897 billion.
The remaining 6 spots are held by female musicians, who have a combined follower count of 2.979 billion.

And here’s a breakdown of female influencer popularity on each social media platform:

InstagramInstagram is a female influencer stronghold. Women hold 42 out of the top 100 Instagram accounts, with a cumulative total of 6.4 billion followers.

Male influencers only hold 34 spots, with brands/companies holding 24 accounts.

According to our research, these are the top 10 most influential women on Instagram:

Selena Gomez: 429.8M followers
Kylie Jenner: 400.5M followers
Ariana Grande: 380.3M followers
Kim Kardashian: 364.3M followers
Beyoncé: 320.0M followers
Khloé Kardashian: 310.9M followers
Kendall Jenner: 294.7M followers
Taylor Swift: 281.7M followers
Jennifer Lopez: 253.6M followers
Kourtney Kardashian: 224.4M followers

A surprising fact – the Kardashian family has a combined total of approximately 1.194 billion Instagram followers!

TikTokTikTok is not as popular as Instagram for female influencers, with only 1.56 billion followers across the top hundred accounts. Out of 100 top accounts, female influencers hold 32 spots. Their male counterparts hold 47 spots in total, with the remaining 21 going to brands and companies.

According to our research, these are the top 10 most influential women on TikTok:

Charli D’Amelio: 152M followers
Bella Poarch: 93.8M followers
Addison Rae: 88.6M followers
Kimberly Loaiza: 80.8M followers
Domelipa: 72.7M followers
Selena Gomez: 59M followers
Dixie D’Amelio: 56.4M followers
Kylie Jenner: 54.9M followers
Loren Gray: 53.9M followers
Karol G: 51.4M followers

YoutubeYouTube is mainly dominated by brands and company accounts, which hold 58 out of 100 top-followed account spots.

Female influencers hold 15 out of the top 100 spots, with a total of 879 million followers. Their videos reached 488 billion views in total.

These are the most popular female influencers on YouTube:

BLACKPINK: 92.9M followers
Taylor Swift: 56.5M followers
Ariana Grande: 53.5M followers
Billie Eilish: 49.1M followers
Shakira: 45.5M followers
Katy Perry: 44.7M followers
Kimberly Loaiza: 44.3M followers
Ricis Official: 42.9M followers
Rihanna: 22.8M followers

Twitter (X)On Twitter, female influencers have a total reach of 1.38 billion followers and hold 27 out of the top 100 positions.

These are the most influential women on Twitter:

Rihanna: 108.2M followers
Katy Perry: 106.8M followers
Taylor Swift: 95.3M followers
Ariana Grande: 85.3M followers
Lady Gaga: 83.6M followers
Kim Kardashian: 75.2M followers
Ellen DeGeneres: 74.7M followers
Selena Gomez: 66.5M followers
Britney Spears: 54.9M followers
Shakira: 53.7M followers

Net Worth, Charities & Impact on The WorldOf course, social media following isn’t the only way to gauge the power and impact of these female influencers. Net worth and charitable work play a big role as well!

The most influential women in the top 100 accounts per social media network have an estimated total net worth of over $13.6 billion. This list has some overlap with our list of most-followed influencers, though there are some newcomers, including Oprah, Ellen Degeneres, and Lady Gaga.

Let’s take a look at the good these celebrities are doing with all that reach and money. Here are some takeaways with regard to their charitable giving:

Of the top 12 most popular female mega-stars, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry support the most charities.
Top influencers who have supported women-focused charities include Beyoncé (Women’s Fund for Scotland), Taylor Swift (DonateMyDress, Hero in Heels), Katy Perry (Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, Keep-a-Breast, ), Jennifer Lopez (Every Mother Counts, Janie’s Fund, Lopez Family Foundation), Kim Kardashian (Breast Cancer Research Association, I Heart My Girlfriends, We Advance, WomenHeart), and Selena Gomez (10×10, Malala Fund).

On average, the top female influencers and celebrities are supporting around 19 charities and humanitarian causes, according to data from looktothestars.org.

The most popular causes that top female influencers support include AIDS/HIV (19 influencers), Health (18 influencers), Children (18 influencers), Human Rights (17 influencers), and Education (17 influencers).

Some of the most supported charities include Stand Up To Cancer, Red Cross, and UNICEF, with almost 50% of top female influencers supporting these organizations.

In terms of causes and charities supported, Lady Gaga is the most charitable female influencer, with over 76 charities and 37 humanitarian causes supported over the years. She is closely followed by Ellen DeGeneres (54 charities and 31 causes supported) and Miley Cyrus (44 charities and 31 causes).

When looking at monetary support, Oprah leads the way – her charitable foundation alone has donated over $400 million in grants for various humanitarian causes.

Beyoncé and Rihanna have also made a substantial impact. Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation has donated over $100 million to various causes over the year, and Rihanna has donated $15 million through her Clara Lionel Foundation to support climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean.

More recently, Taylor Swift contributed $1 million to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee – located in the county she grew up in – after tornadoes left hundreds of buildings damaged.

Taylor has also made many generous donations to food banks along her Eras tour route. No specific sum of money that Taylor donated was reported. However, a food bank in Tampa said the star donated enough cash to “place over 125,000 meals on tables.” Another food bank in Arizona was able to purchase 40,000 pounds of fresh produce thanks to her donation.

If you’re interested in furthering the cause of female empowerment, here’s a full list of the women-focused charities that celebrities mentioned in this article have supported:

10×10 (Selena Gomez)
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (Katy Perry)
Breast Cancer Research Association (Kim Kardashian)
Cool Girls (Oprah, Lady Gaga)
DonateMyDress (Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus)
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (Lady Gaga)
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver (Lady Gaga)
Every Mother Counts (Jennifer Lopez)
GEANCO (Oprah)
Girls Rock Camp Alliance (Lady Gaga)
Global Campaign for Education (Shakira)
Hero In Heels (Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus)
I Heart My Girlfriends (Kim Kardashian)
Janie’s Fund (Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus)
Keep-a-Breast (Katy Perry)
Libby Ross Foundation (Miley Cyrus)
Lopez Family Foundation (Jennifer Lopez)
Lower East Side Girls Club (Oprah)
Malala Fund (Selena Gomez)
Oprah’s Angel Network (Oprah)
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa (Oprah)
Peace Over Violence (Oprah)
(RED) (Lady Gaga)
Somaly Mam Foundation (Oprah, Lady Gaga)
V-Day (Oprah)
We Advance (Kim Kardashian)
WomenHeart (Kim Kardashian)
Women’s Fund for Scotland (Beyoncé)
Women for Women International (Oprah)
Women in the World Foundation (Oprah)
YWCA (Miley Cyrus)

Methodology 🧪 How did we get these numbers and data?

We collected data available from online sources and social media profiles to create a list of the top 100 followed accounts for all 4 major social media platforms – Instagram, Twitter (X), TikTok, and YouTube.

We sorted these accounts into ones run by women, male influencers, and brands/companies. Note that any account run by multiple people was counted as a brand.

Data was then cross-referenced with the Look To The Stars celebrity charity database and Forbes reports, as well as other online resources.

View Details

We gathered and analyzed data from Google Trends, Indeed, Zip Recruiter, and other online sources in all 50 U.S. states to identify the most popular side hustle in each state.

Check out the surprising results below.

Created by AuthorityHacker • View larger version

According to data provided by Google Trends, interest in finding a side hustle peaked in 2023 when we look at data in the past 20 years:

This makes sense given the economic climate. Inflation has gone up, but the average American’s wages have stayed the same for decades. More Americans are struggling financially than ever before and need additional income via a side hustle to pay their bills.

Rising Demands For Additional Income Sources49% of adults have less savings compared to a year ago and 22% have no emergency savings at all, according to Bankrate’s 2023 Emergency Savings Report. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that more than a third have more credit card debt than cash reserves – the highest amount on record.

In response to this harsh economic reality, 39% of Americans are working a side hustle in addition to their full-time job to pay their bills. Of those, younger generations are more likely to have one – 53% of Gen Z, 50% of millennials, and 40% of Gen X have a side hustle.

Members of Gen Z are particularly stressed about not having enough money. Around 7 in 10 respondents said their current financial situation is “fair” or worse, while less than a third said they feel financially secure.

Gen Z workers are particularly mistrustful of large businesses — just 34% trust that large businesses do what’s right.

This isn’t a surprise, as Gen Z was raised by parents who went through the 2008 financial crisis, watched Millennials graduate college and enter a depressed job market at the end of a recession, and many members of Gen Z experienced the economic standstill and mass layoffs caused by COVID.

This distrust may explain their propensity to find a second source of income, as they don’t trust employers to keep them long-term or pay them adequately.

Navigating The Side Hustle EconomyIt’s not all doom and gloom, though – some side hustles can be surprisingly lucrative. Examples include an Oregon teacher who makes over $10,000 per month selling classroom worksheets, a college student who turned a dorm room side hustle into a $56 million business, and a 30-year-old who makes $22,000 a month working only two hours a day. While many are taking on side hustles out of necessity, there can be a life-changing upside for hard workers with a clever idea.

But not all side hustles are created equal. Some are more popular than others, and earnings vary depending on the type of work and location. Our analysis found some interesting insights when we cross-referenced our findings by region, income level, and political preference.

For starters, the most popular side hustle in America is virtual assistant, indicating the popularity of work-from-home jobs.

States with the highest level of interest for side hustle jobs in 2023 are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah – which could mean that the western U.S. is feeling the economic impact the most.

States with the least interest in finding a side hustle are Florida, Vermont, and Maine – all of which are on the East Coast.

States in the northeast – including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire – overwhelmingly prefer babysitting as a side hustle. These states have some of the highest costs of living in the U.S., and babysitting may be popular because many families have both parents working.

Southern states overwhelmingly favor virtual assistants and DoorDash side hustles.

We also found that states that voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election prefer DoorDash as a side hustle, while states that voted Democrat favor Uber driving.

This discrepancy may be indicative of the rural-urban divide that tends to present in American politics – DoorDash is most helpful when you don’t want to drive a long distance to get something, while Uber is most helpful in urban environments where you’re less likely to own a car.

Most profitable side hustles:

DoorDash: $5,021 average monthly pay, according to Indeed
Uber: $2,350 average monthly pay, according to ZipRecruiter
Babysitter: $3,494 average monthly pay, according to Indeed
Virtual Assistant: $5,285 average monthly pay, according to Indeed
Online Tutor: $3,259 average monthly pay, according to ZipRecruiter

Remember that these are gross income rates, and don’t account for expenses or other factors.

For example, DoorDash and Uber drivers have to pay for gas and car maintenance, and much home rental income goes toward mortgage payments, property taxes, and home repair.

If you want to discover the most popular side hustles in your area, check out our breakdown of the top 3 side hustles in each state.

Methodology 🧪 We compiled a massive list of the most popular side hustles by performing research on online forums, job sites, and other relevant resources. We compared the popularity of each by using data from Google Trends and big job-posting sites to identify which is the most popular side job in each state. After that, we scraped salary-tracking sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter to find national and state-specific earnings averages for each job.

Implications of StudyOur study shows the American workforce is changing a lot, driven by a worse economic reality, the need for more money, and new ways of thinking about work and financial security.

Many Americans, especially younger people like Gen Z and Millennials, are working side jobs because of money problems like high debt, little to no savings, and low wages.

Having more than one job is becoming a necessity for many to make ends meet, not just something fun to make extra money. For many people, the days of working one job to make ends meet are coming to an end.

Additionally, younger workers are starting to trust traditional jobs less, leading them to create their own ways of making money. Stories of people making a lot of money from side jobs are inspiring others and showing that these jobs can be a lucrative source of income.

Most Popular Side Hustle Jobs In Each US StateAlabama1. DoorDash delivery: $4,343 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,548 per month, according to Indeed 3. Part-time home rental: Unavailable

While virtual assistants earn more in Alabama, DoorDash delivery is more popular. This may be due to the ease of becoming a DoorDash driver compared to getting a Virtual assistant job.

Arizona1. DoorDash delivery: $4,455 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $6,100 per month, according to Indeed 3. Uber driving: $2,186 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

Virtual assistant gigs make significantly more than other side hustles in Arizona, indicating that Arizona residents who need a second job should strongly consider virtual assistant positions.

Arkansas1. DoorDash delivery: $3,335 per month, according to Indeed 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Virtual assistant: $3,289 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

Given that DoorDash delivery offers slightly higher earnings than virtual assistant roles in Arkansas, people looking for side hustles might consider food delivery as a potentially more profitable option.

California1. Uber driving: $2,370 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Virtual assistant: $3,808 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. DoorDash delivery: $5,424 per month, according to Indeed

In California, DoorDash delivery is where it’s at for side hustles, especially in urban areas, as it tends to bring in more money than other gigs.

Colorado1. Virtual assistant: $4,173 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. DoorDash delivery: $4,412 per month, according to Indeed

In Colorado, virtual assistant roles are bringing in a bit more cash, making them a good side hustle choice for those interested in remote work.

Connecticut1. Babysitting: $3,936 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $3,959 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Uber driving: $2,553 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Connecticut, virtual assistant work and babysitting are neck and neck in terms of earnings, both offering solid side hustle opportunities.

Delaware1. Virtual assistant: $3,949 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Babysitting: $3,248 per month, according to Indeed 3. DoorDash delivery: $3,502 per month, according to Indeed

In Delaware, virtual assistant gigs are slightly ahead in earnings, making them a potentially more profitable side hustle for those good with admin tasks.

District of Columbia1. Virtual assistant: $5,844 per month, according to Indeed 2. Uber driving: $4,952 per month, according to Indeed 3. Starting a blog: $8,038 per month, according to Authority Hacker

In the District of Columbia, blogging stands out as a surprisingly lucrative side hustle, especially for those with a talent for content creation.

Florida1. Virtual assistant: $3,429 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Uber driving: $1,753 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Florida, virtual assistant roles seem to be more profitable than Uber driving, making them a preferable side hustle for those interested in remote work.

Georgia1. Virtual assistant: $3,874 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. DoorDash delivery: $4,810 per month, according to Indeed

In Georgia, DoorDash delivery leads in earnings, suggesting it as a potentially more profitable side hustle for those interested in delivery services.

Hawaii1. Uber driving: $2,711 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Virtual assistant: $4,211 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Hawaii, virtual assistant jobs outearn Uber driving, indicating that remote administrative work could be a more lucrative side hustle.

Idaho1. DoorDash delivery: $3,201 per month, according to Indeed 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Babysitting: $3,185 per month, according to Indeed

In Idaho, DoorDash delivery and babysitting offer similar earning potentials, making both viable side hustle options.

Illinois1. Uber driving: $2,434 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Babysitting: $3,350 per month, according to Indeed

In Illinois, virtual assistant roles are slightly more profitable, suggesting them as a potentially better side hustle choice for those with the necessary skills.

Indiana1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. DoorDash delivery: $3,456 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $4,366 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Indiana, virtual assistant gigs lead in earnings, making them a potentially more profitable side hustle for those interested in remote work.

Iowa1. Babysitting: $2,963 per month, according to Indeed 2. DoorDash delivery: $3,422 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $3,977 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Iowa, virtual assistant roles seem to be the way to go for better earnings, making them a good side hustle choice.

Kansas1. Virtual assistant: $3,672 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $3,516 per month, according to Indeed 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Kansas, virtual assistant jobs are a tad more profitable than other side hustles, making them a potentially good choice for those interested in remote work.

Kentucky1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. DoorDash delivery: $3,501 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $3,467 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Kentucky, virtual assistants and DoorDash delivery are close in earnings, making both good side hustle options.

Louisiana1. Virtual assistant: $3,665 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $4,192 per month, according to Indeed 3. Babysitting: $2,637 per month, according to Indeed

In Louisiana, DoorDash delivery is coming out on top in the side hustle game, suggesting it as a potentially more profitable option.

Maine1. Babysitting: $3,182 per month, according to Indeed 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. DoorDash delivery: $3,506 per month, according to Indeed

In Maine, DoorDash delivery and babysitting are close in earnings, making both solid side hustle choices.

Maryland1. Virtual assistant: $3,827 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $5,309 per month, according to Indeed 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Maryland, DoorDash delivery leads in side hustle earnings, suggesting it as a potentially more profitable option for those considering a gig.

Massachusetts1. Babysitting: $4,401 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,373 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Uber driving: $2,770 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Massachusetts, babysitting slightly outearns other side hustles, making it a potentially more lucrative option for those good with kids.

Michigan1. DoorDash delivery: $4,580 per month, according to Indeed 2. Babysitting: $2,766 per month, according to Indeed 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Michigan, DoorDash delivery is where the money’s at for side hustles, especially in busier areas.

Minnesota1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. DoorDash delivery: $4,837 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $4,198 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Minnesota, DoorDash delivery tops the side hustle earnings chart, making it a potentially great choice for those looking for a gig.

Mississippi1. DoorDash delivery: $3,329 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $3,901 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Online tutoring: $4,391 per month, according to Salary.com

In Mississippi, online tutoring leads in side hustle earnings, making it a potentially lucrative option for those with teaching skills.

Missouri1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. Virtual assistant: $3,709 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. DoorDash delivery: $4,334 per month, according to Indeed

In Missouri, DoorDash delivery is edging out other side hustles in earnings, suggesting it as a potentially more profitable gig.

Montana1. Online tutoring: $4,502 per month, according to Salary.com 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Virtual assistant: $4,212 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Montana, online tutoring looks pretty lucrative as a side hustle, especially for those with teaching skills.

Nebraska1. DoorDash delivery: $3,369 per month, according to Indeed 2. Babysitting: $2,996 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $3,753 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Nebraska, virtual assistant roles are slightly ahead in the side hustle game, making them a potentially good choice for those interested in remote work.

Nevada1. Uber driving: $2,631 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $4,358 per month, according to Indeed 3. Virtual assistant: $4,128 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Nevada, DoorDash delivery leads in side hustle earnings, suggesting it as a potentially more profitable option for those considering a gig.

New Hampshire1. Babysitting: $3,106 per month, according to Indeed 2. Uber driving: $2,293 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Virtual assistant: $3,707 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In New Hampshire, virtual assistant roles are looking more profitable, making them a potentially good side hustle choice for those interested in remote work.

New Jersey1. Babysitting: $3,843 per month, according to Indeed 2. Uber driving: $2,367 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Virtual assistant: $4,495 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In New Jersey, virtual assistant gigs lead in earnings, suggesting them as a potentially more profitable side hustle option.

New Mexico1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. Virtual assistant: $4,234 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. DoorDash delivery: $3,327 per month, according to Indeed

In New Mexico, virtual assistant roles top the earnings chart for side hustles, making them a potentially good choice for those skilled in admin work.

New York1. Babysitting: $4,103 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,167 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Online tutoring: $3,871 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In New York, babysitting is slightly more profitable than other side hustles, making it a potentially good option for those good with kids.

North Carolina1. Virtual assistant: $3,597 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $4,658 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In North Carolina, DoorDash delivery is looking like the more profitable side hustle, suggesting it as a potentially good option for those considering a gig.

Ohio1. DoorDash delivery: $4,373 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,097 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Babysitting: $3,198 per month, according to Indeed

In Ohio, DoorDash delivery leads in side hustle earnings, making it a potentially great choice for those looking for a gig.

Oklahoma1. Virtual assistant: $3,634 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $3,307 per month, according to Indeed 3. Babysitting: $2,748 per month, according to Indeed

In Oklahoma, virtual assistant roles are slightly more profitable, suggesting them as a potentially better side hustle choice for those with the necessary skills.

Oregon1. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 2. Babysitting: $3,383 per month, according to Indeed 3. DoorDash delivery: $4,870 per month, according to Indeed

In Oregon, DoorDash delivery outearns other side hustles, suggesting it as a potentially solid bet for those looking for a gig.

Pennsylvania1. Babysitting: $3,657 per month, according to Indeed 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Virtual assistant: $3,817 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Pennsylvania, virtual assistant roles are slightly ahead in the side hustle game, making them a potentially good choice for those interested in remote work.

Rhode Island1. Babysitting: $3,548 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,015 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Uber driving: $2,517 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In Rhode Island, virtual assistant gigs look more profitable, suggesting them as a potentially great side hustle option for those skilled in admin tasks.

South Carolina1. Virtual assistant: $3,673 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. DoorDash delivery: $3,348 per month, according to Indeed

In South Carolina, virtual assistant roles are a tad more profitable, suggesting them as a potentially good side hustle choice for those interested in remote work.

South Dakota1. Online tutoring: $3,124 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Virtual assistant: $4,088 per month, according to ZipRecruiter

In South Dakota, virtual assistant roles lead in side hustle earnings, making them a potentially great option for those good with remote work.

Tennessee1. Virtual assistant: $3,912 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. DoorDash delivery: $5,058 per month, according to Indeed 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Tennessee, DoorDash delivery looks more profitable than the alternatives, suggesting it as a potentially good side hustle choice for those considering a gig.

Texas1. Virtual assistant: $3,606 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Uber driving: $2,247 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Texas, virtual assistant roles are slightly more profitable, making them a solid side hustle for those interested in remote work.

Utah1. DoorDash delivery: $3,395 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $3,889 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Utah, virtual assistant roles are slightly ahead in the side hustle game, making them a potentially good choice for those skilled in admin work.

Vermont1. Online tutoring: $3,259 per month, according to ZipRecruiter Virginia1. Virtual assistant: $3,902 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable 3. Babysitting: $3,385 per month, according to Indeed

In Virginia, virtual assistant roles are a bit more profitable, suggesting them as a potentially good side hustle choice for those interested in remote work.

Washington1. Uber driving: $2,741 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 2. Virtual assistant: $4,393 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In Washington, virtual assistant roles are leading the pack in terms of earnings, making them a potentially more lucrative side hustle for those looking into remote work opportunities.

West Virginia1. DoorDash delivery: $4,812 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $2,948 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. Part-time home rental: Earnings unavailable

In West Virginia, DoorDash delivery stands out with higher earnings, suggesting it as a potentially profitable side hustle for those interested in delivery services.

Wisconsin1. Babysitting: $3,155 per month, according to Indeed 2. Virtual assistant: $4,404 per month, according to ZipRecruiter 3. DoorDash delivery: $5,056 per month, according to Indeed

In Wisconsin, DoorDash delivery and virtual assistant roles are both bringing in good earnings, making them solid side hustle options for those looking to boost their income.

View Details

Everyone has an opinion on what’s working in affiliate marketing, but no one seems to have the data to back it up.

To cut through the BS and discover what successful affiliate marketers are doing right now, we surveyed 2,270 professional affiliate marketers.

Specifically, we wanted to discover what strategies are working for them, what separates the 6+ figure earners from the rest of the field, and what it really takes to build a successful affiliate marketing business in 2023.

We’ve been teaching affiliate marketing for over 10 years, and even we were shocked by some of our findings.

Key Takeaways From The SurveyHere’s a summary of the most interesting findings and key statistics:

We asked everyone how much they make, and found that the average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month.

We also cross-referenced traffic with earnings and found the average affiliate website RPM is $149.76.

Affiliate marketers with 3+ years of experience earn 9.45x more than beginners. If you’re just starting out, stick with it!

Out of 19 broad niche categories, we found that the 3 most profitable niches are Education/E-Learning, Travel, and Beauty/Skincare.

If you’re having traffic problems, you’re not alone. 45.3% of affiliate marketers say getting traffic is their biggest challenge.

82% of websites earning 6+ figures annually monetize with display ads and affiliate products. If you’re not using both, you’re probably losing money.

Affiliate marketers earning $10k+ per month are 1.5x more likely to socialize with other affiliate marketers. If you haven’t started networking, now’s the time.

Only 25.1% of affiliate marketers have been negatively impacted by recent search algorithm updates. Given the recent doom and gloom, we’re surprised the number is this low.

31.3% of affiliate marketers earning 6+ figures annually considered giving up at some point. If you’re feeling some doubt, keep going. Success may be just around the corner.

About This SurveyWe surveyed 2,270 affiliate marketers with a wide range of experience levels, monthly earnings, and team sizes.

This allowed us to cross-reference experience, earnings, and team size data with questions about traffic sources, monetization methods, and general affiliate marketing strategy.

To reach a large audience, we sent the survey to our email list with over 100,000 subscribers, promoted it on our Podcast, mentioned it on Twitter, and shared it in our Facebook and Discord communities. We also ran some Twitter and Facebook ads to increase responses.

The average respondent had 2.8 years of experience, but participants ranged from less than 1 year to over 10 years.

Throughout the survey, we consistently found that affiliate marketers with more experience and earnings used different tactics than beginners. We’ll discuss all of these differences at length.

The Authority Hacker audience predominantly includes website owners, so the findings reflect affiliate marketing strategies related to websites more than other methods.

The respondents also represent a diverse range of affiliate marketing niches, giving us broad insights into what’s working across many verticals.

With no niche making up more than 10.8% of respondents, we have a nicely distributed snapshot across many verticals. This variety strengthens the data by reducing potential niche-specific biases.

The Average Affiliate Marketer Earns $8,038 Per MonthAcross all experience levels, the average affiliate marketer earns just over $8,000.

That’s over $96,000 per year – a terrific salary for a location-independent position that lets you set your own hours and make your own decisions.

If you’re a beginner with people questioning your decision to start affiliate marketing, share this stat with them and explain just how much potential there is to earn a real living.

There’s also a clear correlation between more experience and earning more money – no surprise there.

What caught my attention is the enormous gap in earnings between beginners and those with 3+ years in the industry.

Affiliate marketers with 3+ years of experience earn 9.45x more than beginners.
Even if you remove the most experienced respondents, those with 3-5 years of experience earn 4.46x more than newcomers.
Marketers who have been in the game for 10+ years make approximately 6.31x more than everyone else.

The takeaway?

There’s a two-year “beginner’s hump” that newcomers to affiliate marketing must overcome. If you get over that hump, your earning potential shoots off the charts.

Affiliate Marketers Earning 6 Figures Annually Have 6+ Team MembersWe know how challenging building a team is, but you shouldn’t let the difficulties stop you. The data shows it’s a crucial part of growing your revenue.

My recommendation? Use the above graph as a general guide to check if you have an appropriate number of team members.

If you’re making $5,000 per month but are still a solopreneur – or earning $25,000 per month with 3 team members – there may be opportunities to grow your business by making new hires.

Of course, there’s a lot of nuance, such as what positions you should hire for or how much you should pay.

This survey doesn’t go into those details, but the data suggests that if you’re finding success, you should hire people to handle less important tasks so you can focus on what truly moves the needle in your business.

The 3 Most Profitable Affiliate Niches Are Education/E-Learning, Travel, and Beauty/SkincareOf the 19 broad niches we asked about, these 3 were the most profitable.

There’s also a clear gap in earnings between the top 7 niches – which earn over $7,000 on average – and the rest, which earn ~$500 to ~$6,000. The highest-earning niches are generally more competitive, so beginners may be avoiding them.

However, most niches still leave plenty of room for substantial income. Of the 19 niches included in the survey, 11 earned an average of over $4,000 per month, which generally equates to “job replacement income.”

When we compare monthly earnings to RPMs, the gap between the highest and lowest niches gets noticeably smaller. However, the order shows little change for most niches.

This shows that the most competitive niches tend to have the highest RPMs, and that RPM plays a huge role in determining the profitability of a niche. If you’re considering a tougher industry, you’ll be rewarded with a higher earnings ceiling.

⚠️ Survey Limitation: Our latest case study is in the Pets & Animals niche, and many beginners have likely adopted this idea and started websites in this industry. This abnormally high number of beginner sites may have artificially lowered the income data for the Pets & Animals niche.

Average Monthly Website Traffic For Affiliate Marketers Is 56,673 VisitorsWith just over 50,000 visitors on average – and the enormous potential to increase affiliate RPMs – most site owners can be optimistic about earnings, even if growing traffic is a challenge.

⚠️ Survey Limitation: We’ve made assumptions about the representative values for each category, especially in the “More than 1 million” category, where the traffic could be significantly higher.The average traffic growth for each additional year of experience is 53.49%, so even if you’re a newer affiliate marketer without much traffic, the data says you should stick with it.

We also broke the traffic down by niche, and found the highest-traffic niches include technology, beauty/skincare, and food/nutrition.

Niches with the most traffic are also generally aligned with the highest-revenue niches. No surprise there – traffic is essential for growing revenue.

Marketers Who Choose Niches Based on Market Research Earn 47.16% More Than Those Relying on Commissions or Personal ExperienceWe cross-referenced product selection methods with earnings, and found that high earners tend to choose products based on current trends and audience demand.

Choosing products based on commission rates or personal preference often isn’t the best move – earnings increase as affiliate marketers move away from those strategies.

This suggests a data-driven and “ear-to-the-ground” approach to product selection – AKA staying current in your niche, identifying trending topics early, and capitalizing on them – provides the best ROI for experienced affiliate marketers.

However, you shouldn’t chase trends if you’re a beginner. Promoting products you have personal experience with is the best approach for those making less than $2,500 per month.

This is likely because you can create better content about products you know about, which helps make up for the low authority of a newer site. More popular topics are also more competitive, and it’s tougher for marketers without authority or resources to find wins.

45.3% Of Affiliate Marketers Say Getting Traffic Is Their Biggest ChallengeTraffic is the thorniest problem for many affiliate marketers. This is followed by converting that traffic to sales, which 19.5% of respondents mentioned.

This makes sense, given the many beginners who responded to the survey. When you’re not getting much traffic, it’s hard to have other problems.

If you’re having problems getting traffic, know that it gets easier over time. While 51.4% of respondents with less than a year of experience said traffic was their main problem, that percentage dropped to 33.3% for those with 6+ years of experience.

Interestingly, converting traffic to sales consistently remains a problem until the 10+ year mark. For some people, getting the hang of conversion optimization is a tougher nut to crack than generating traffic.

Affiliate Marketers Earning $10,000+ Per Month Struggle With Building/Managing Teams And Changes In Search AlgorithmsPeople earning over 6 figures a year face a more diversified set of challenges. Even though traffic is still the top issue, only 17.33% of high-earning marketers said it was their primary obstacle.

The problems that rise to the forefront for high earners include hiring and managing a team and dealing with changes in search algorithms.

Converting traffic to sales is still a challenge, but many respondents earning 6+ figures seem to have solved their traffic and conversion problems. This indicates getting traffic and converting that traffic are the main skill sets needed to reach a 6-figure annual income.

78.3% Of Affiliate Marketers Use SEO As A Primary Traffic SourceAffiliate marketers love organic traffic strategies, with SEO and organic social media labeled as a primary traffic source by 78.3% and 35.5% of respondents, respectively.

Paid advertising methods like SEM and paid social media ads are less popular, with only 20.2% of respondents using them.

Organic methods require less upfront investment, tend to have a higher ROI, and are generally more forgiving, so it makes sense that affiliate marketers heavily favor them.

The third-most popular traffic source is email, with 22.8% using it. This is likely because email provides a higher ROI than other traffic sources. (More on that later in the survey.)

Interestingly, those earning 6+ figures diversify their traffic sources 21.56% more than average. Their main diversification channels include paid ads and email marketing.

Risk mitigation is a potential motivator for diversification, but this is more likely a natural consequence of marketers seeking higher revenue opportunities. The increased focus on email may be the source of the higher earnings.

These trends are in line with what we teach. Beginners should start with 1 traffic source and learn it well, then explore secondary sources when they’re more established.

The Most Successful Affiliate Marketers Tend To Promote High-Value ProductsAffiliate marketers who focus on higher-value products tend to earn more on average.

Part of this could be due to the fact that sites using Amazon Affiliate tend to rack up random high-value affiliate commissions over the years.

However, when we cross-referenced by niche, we didn’t notice a meaningful correlation between high-earning niches and largest commission. In fact, some of the most profitable niches are near the bottom of the list.

High product commissions are something to consider when picking a niche, but they’re not important enough to be the sole deciding factor. Other factors like niche popularity, competitiveness, and how well you know the topic are arguably more important.

The Average Affiliate Website RPM Is $149.76I was shocked by this finding. We knew affiliate marketing could be profitable but survey results really put it into perspective. The data revealed that the average affiliate website earns $149.76 for every 1,000 visitors.

Here’s another shocker: websites earning $10,000+ per month make 3.58x more per visitor than average.

| Monthly income | Average website traffic | Earnings per visitor | | --- | --- | --- | | <$100 | 9,217 | $0.0054 | | $100-500 | 25,195 | $0.0119 | | $500-2.5k | 61,322 | $0.0245 | | $2.5k-10k | 118,471 | $0.0528 | | $10-50k | 328,478 | $0.0913 | | $50-100k | 350,238 | $0.2141 | | $100k-250k | 690,714 | $0.2534 | | $250-500k | 825,000 | $0.4242 | | $500k+ | 937,500 | $0.5333 |

Most affiliate marketers would greatly benefit from improving their monetization and conversion rates. If you’re already getting decent traffic, it’s faster and more resource-efficient to 5x your RPM than it is to 5x your traffic.

82% Of High-Earning Websites Monetize With Both Affiliate Marketing And Display AdsOne of the more common debates in the industry is whether to monetize with ads or affiliate products.

We finally have an answer. 82% of websites earning 6+ figures per year use both, so you’re likely losing money if you’re not using ads. We also found that 69.4% of all respondents are using ads. The majority of affiliate marketers are on the right track, but there’s still room for improvement.

If you’re committed to only using one, know that affiliate marketing makes more than ads in 94% of niches. And it isn’t a close race – affiliate marketing earns at least 2x as much as ads in most niches.

Enabling ads should increase revenue, and you should only avoid them if you’re highly concerned about your branding.

79.3% Of Affiliate Marketers Are Embracing AI-Driven Content CreationNearly 80% of respondents are embracing the shift toward AI content creation. This trend is universal across all tiers of experience. And seeing as Google has given the green light to responsible AI usage, why not?

AI is definitely here to stay, and I would be surprised if this percentage didn’t grow in the coming years. For more AI usage statistics, check out our AI survey results.

Experts Use Email Marketing 47.8% More And SEO 11.6% More Than Beginners.They also decrease reliance on organic social media over time, using it 26.7% less than beginners.

🗒️ Survey Note: Respondents could select multiple traffic sources.

Given enough time, even simple email collection methods can build a substantial list. Marketers with more experience have had time to build larger lists, and a large email list typically generates more revenue than other sources of traffic.

Amazon Associates Remains The Most Popular Affiliate Network, With 58.5% Of Affiliate Marketers Using ItDespite all of the shade thrown at Amazon and its ever-decreasing affiliate rates, it’s still the most popular affiliate network by a large margin.

A common conception is that the Amazon affiliate program is for beginners. While it’s true that many beginners start with Amazon, nearly half of respondents making $10,000+ per month also use the program.

Despite the decrease in commissions over the years, Amazon remains the king of converting traffic into sales. Couple that with the fact that you earn commissions from everything your affiliate visitors buy, and the program remains lucrative for even the most successful affiliate websites.

To learn more about how to leverage this program for maximum profit, read our guide on how to make money with the Amazon Affiliate Program.

77.1% Of Affiliate Marketers Are Solopreneurs With No Team MembersMost respondents are tapping away on their computers all by themselves. If you’re one of these solo crusaders, give yourself a pat on the back – we know it isn’t easy.

Most who do have teams don’t have large ones. The average team size is about 2.3 people, and 94.5% of affiliate marketers work in teams of 5 or fewer.

High Earners Are 1.5x More Likely To Socialize With Other Affiliate MarketersIf you’re one of the 64.4% of affiliate marketers who don’t socialize with other marketers, you should reconsider.

I’m not saying this to help you make friends – there’s a direct correlation between socializing and earning more. Seek out communities and masterminds to grow your network and affiliate marketing knowledge.

You should also be attending conferences when you can; people earning $10,000+ per month are 7x more likely to attend in-person conferences.

This may be because more successful marketers have the time and money to attend in-person events, but it’s also possible that the connections made face-to-face could enhance the advantages of online networking.

Newer marketers tend to socialize more over social media, while experts are sticking with online communities.

| Where do you socialize? | <1 year | 1-2 years | 3-5 years | 6-10 years | 10+ years | | Social media | 20.20 | 21.11 | 22.54 | 15.66 | 17.96 | | Online communities | 9.80 | 13.43 | 14.32 | 13.13 | 17.96 | | In-person | 2.48 | 2.35 | 2.58 | 6.06 | 5.39 |

Affiliate Marketers Who Use Email Marketing Earn 66.4% More Than Those Who Don’tWhile only 22.8% of affiliate marketers utilize email, those who build an email list to promote products earn significantly more than those who don’t bother with email.

Here are some potential reasons for this:

Email is the only channel that allows you to guide your audience through a series of messages in a pre-determined order. This precision is invaluable when it comes to selling a product.
By opting into your list, email subscribers have proven they care much more about your opinion than the average visitor.
It may also reflect the typical evolution of an affiliate marketer. Most only look into email once they’ve mastered more standard affiliate strategies and begun to stagnate. This leads them to look for new ways to monetize.

It’s the same as with ads; if you’re not using email, you’re leaving money on the table.

And when it comes to your email list, size matters. Affiliate marketers earning at least $10,000 per month have an average of 258,917 more subscribers than lower earners. They also make 9.97x more per subscriber.

This is similar to the traffic monetization trend. High earners have bigger lists, but they also know how to earn more per subscriber.

75.5% Of Affiliate Marketers Find Time-Sensitive Promotions Have Little To No ImpactOur co-founder Gael says that a countdown timer can outperform even the best copywriter. So, it was a surprise when 75.5% of respondents reported that time-sensitive promotions had little to no impact on their revenue.

The businesses that run these sales definitely see an impact – that’s why they run the sales. So why aren’t affiliate marketers taking advantage of this proven promotional tactic?

Most people use organic traffic sources, and the buying window for time-sensitive promotions is usually a few hours. These urgency-based promotions don’t impact cold organic traffic nearly as much as traffic from an audience that you’ve built a relationship with and have a history of recommending great products to.

This lines up with most respondents not using email or social media, which are common ways to build and engage with an audience.

Given that almost half of respondents perceive no impact, there may be opportunities for some marketers to explore or optimize their approach to these promotions.

Of those who report time-sensitive promotions having an impact, the channels where they had the most impact include influencer marketing, paid ads, and email marketing.

This is likely because marketers push paid ads and email marketing more during seasonal promotions, which can impact their revenue more than steady traffic sources like SEO and organic social media.

Only 25.1% Of Affiliate Marketers Have Been Negatively Impacted By Recent Search Algorithm Updates. If you take a peek into the average affiliate marketing forum, you’ll see many people reporting that their site traffic has tanked due to recent search algorithm updates.

Given the vocal negative sentiment about recent updates that has taken hold of the industry, we found it surprising that only a fourth of affiliate marketers saw a negative impact from recent updates.

We also noticed an interesting lack of correlation when filtering for negative impact across traffic sizes, experience levels, and niches. This suggests that the niche, size, and age of the websites did not play a decisive role.

It’s tough to determine exactly why these sites lost traffic, but we believe lack of EEAT may be one of the most likely causes. For more on how to properly address EEAT issues, check our detailed YouTube video.

We did notice that high earners saw positive impacts 2x as often than lower earners. That’s not too surprising, as people who reach higher revenue levels are likely more precise with their content and website strategy.

47.4% Of Affiliate Marketers Who Lost Traffic Changed Their Content StrategyWe also asked those who lost traffic about how they pivoted their strategies.

The most common shifts involved changing content strategy (47.4%) and diversifying the products and services they promote (18.9%).

Surprisingly, 29.1% reported not changing anything. This could be due to not knowing what caused the drop, as even the most experienced affiliate marketers find deciphering Google’s preferences challenging.

31.3% Of Affiliate Marketers Earning 6+ Figures Considered Giving Up At Some PointNearly a third of those making 6+ figures per year almost threw in the towel at some point.

This image encapsulates that sentiment perfectly:

This fact alone is pretty motivating – if you’re having thoughts of giving up, know that many who had these thoughts before you ended up winning big.

When we filtered this question by experience, we found something really interesting. There was virtually no difference between any of the experience brackets.

About 50% of all respondents – beginners, journeymen, and experts – have considered quitting at some point. The data was eerily consistent, with less than a 2% differential across all experience levels.

This points to an interesting phenomenon – that half of affiliate marketers experience a make-or-break decision point near the start of their journey.

I believe they quickly gain a deeper understanding of what’s involved in becoming a successful affiliate marketer – creating content, studying conversion optimization, and generally spending a lot of time on the computer – and decide if it’s for them.

If they make it through that, they tend to stay for good.

We can call this the 50/50 affiliate marketing drop point, if you’ll allow me to coin a phrase.

⚠️ Survey Limitation: We would have had to ask more precise questions to confirm this phenomenon, but the data suggests it may exist.

85.8% Of Affiliate Marketers Who Use Social Media To Drive Traffic Have Less Than 10,000 FollowersEven though social media constitutes the second largest source of traffic, the vast majority of those who leverage social media have less than 10,000 followers.

More experience in the field does correlate with more followers, but growth is not as linear compared to SEO – jumps are sharper and less frequent.

Cross-referencing followers with earnings shows a similar trend – higher income correlates with higher follower counts. However, there’s a clear stagnation once you hit 3 years of experience and $500 per month.

There are a few potential takeaways here.

Follower count has become a vanity metric on most social platforms. It looks nice, but having a lot of followers doesn’t mean your posts will get traction. The algorithms simply won’t show your posts to your followers if the initial engagement is poor.

Remember, over a third of marketers are using social media as a primary traffic driver. The low average follower count could indicate that some of these respondents are driving substantial traffic with social media despite having newer accounts with few followers.

Seasoned marketers are also placing less emphasis on their social channels than they were in the beginning. This correlates with a finding I mentioned previously – that affiliate marketers use less social media as they gain more experience.

We’ve found that using social media is a weaker affiliate marketing tactic, so this lines up with our experience. That’s why advanced marketers focus more on email while newbies focus on social.

83.1% Of Affiliate Marketers Are Optimistic About The Future Of Affiliate MarketingBetween the introduction of AI to search, the endless stream of AI content tools, and the flurry of search algorithm updates in the past year, there’s been a lot of doom and gloom surrounding the affiliate marketing industry.

However, affiliate marketers across all levels of experience are almost universally positive about the future.

We can’t see what’s coming, but even in this ever-changing information economy, it’s hard to envision one where original and helpful content doesn’t continue to play a vital role.

Affiliate marketing has been through plenty of “end of the industry” calamities, and nothing has ended.

Sure, we’ve had to adapt our strategies to new technologies and search algorithm updates, but affiliate marketers who have successfully shifted with the times have only continued to reach new heights.

I predict that trend will only continue, and it seems most respondents agree.

66% Of Affiliate Marketers Earning $10,000+ Per Month Have Taken Affiliate Marketing CoursesEducation pays off – even in the Wild West of affiliate marketing. Top earners are far more likely to have taken affiliate marketing courses than not.

We also found that beginners – AKA affiliate marketers with less than 3 years of experience – who take affiliate marketing courses earn 57.7% more than those who don’t.

If you’re serious about succeeding in affiliate marketing, I encourage you to check out our free authority site training.

You’ll learn 7 tips to make a new website 83% more successful, and it gives you a sneak peek at our full course, which offers 13,295 194 value-packed lessons that over 13,295 affiliate marketers have signed up for so far.

View Details

We compiled 124 of the top affiliate marketing statistics to give you a data-backed snapshot of the current affiliate marketing landscape and the future trajectory of the industry.

These statistics are derived from our own in-depth affiliate marketing survey, as well as trustworthy external sources. The list encompasses a wide range of areas, including affiliate revenue, traffic generation, industry trends, niche-specific data, and affiliate marketing best practices.

Top Affiliate Marketing Statistics (Editor’s Pick)This hand-picked selection of the most intriguing affiliate marketing statistics includes essential information on earnings potential, high-earner strategies, industry insights, and overall sentiment toward affiliate marketing.

The global affiliate marketing industry is worth over $17 billion.
The global affiliate marketing industry is expected to grow to a market size of $27.78B by 2027.
Affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of all internet orders in the U.S.
81% of brands use affiliate programs to boost brand awareness and drive sales.
31% of web publishers say affiliate marketing is a top revenue source.
Major brands get 5% to 25% of their overall online sales from affiliate marketing.
20% of brand marketers say affiliate marketing is their most successful channel.
The 3 most profitable affiliate niches are Education/E-Learning, Travel, and Beauty/Skincare.
Affiliate marketing is growing at a rate of 10% year-over-year.
The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month.
78.3% of affiliate marketers use SEO as a primary traffic source.
83.1% of affiliate marketers are optimistic about the future of affiliate marketing.

Global Affiliate Marketing Industry Overview & GrowthDespite the rapid changes brought on by AI, the affiliate marketing industry is booming. The value of the global industry is at an all-time high and is projected to increase substantially in the near future. Companies and investors continue to value and prioritize affiliate marketing.

The global affiliate marketing industry is worth over $17 billion.
The global affiliate marketing industry is expected to grow to a market size of $27.78B by 2027.
The global affiliate marketing industry is expected to increase by 63% in the next 4 years.
America is the dominant sector, with a 39% stake in the worldwide affiliate marketing sector.
Affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of all internet orders in the U.S.
Affiliate marketing is growing at a rate of 10% year-over-year.
Amazon made $1.28 billion in revenue through affiliate programs in Q1 2023.
Yearly affiliate marketing revenue of up to 20% is reported by 65% of retailers.
Google searches for “affiliate marketing” have quadrupled since 2020.
81% of brands use affiliate programs to boost brand awareness and drive sales.
Affiliate programs are the most important client acquisition method for 40% of US firms.
A whopping 94% of publications utilize numerous affiliate marketing programs.
Over $1 billion in revenue is generated by the top coupon affiliate websites.
20% of brand marketers say affiliate marketing is their most successful channel.
Major brands get 5% to 25% of their overall online sales from affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing links receive over 5 billion clicks per year.
Affiliate marketing companies have received over $1.5 billion in funding from investors.
Brands who use affiliate marketing get an average ROI of $15 for every dollar spent, which equates to a 1400% return.
44% of brands use first-interaction attribution for affiliate marketing campaigns.

Sources: Proficient Market Insights, Uniqodo, Streamline, Amazon, BloggingX, Google Trends, Mediakix, Backlinko, Affise, Statista, Pepperjam, Aspire, Zippia, Crunchbase, Digiday x AWIN, Impact

Affiliate Marketing Revenue & Earning PotentialAffiliate marketing remains a lucrative way to make money online. With the average affiliate marketer making over $8,000 monthly and experienced marketers making nearly 10x more than beginners, there’s a lot of potential for those willing to stick with it and learn the ropes.

The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month.
Affiliate marketers with 3+ years of experience earn 9.45x more than beginners.
The average affiliate website RPM is $149.76.
69.4% of affiliate marketing websites are using ads as an extra monetization channel.
82% of websites earning 6+ figures annually monetize with both display ads and affiliate products.
42.9% of marketers say affiliate marketing brings more revenue than ad monetization.
31% of web publishers say affiliate marketing is a top revenue source.

Sources: Authority Hacker, eMarketer

Affiliate Networks & PlatformsAmazon remains the most popular network, but a wide array of other networks are gaining ground. There’s plenty of room for all of them though, as successful affiliate marketers utilize at least 3 networks to drive revenue.

Amazon Associates is the most popular affiliate network, with 58.5% of affiliate marketers using it.
High-earning affiliate marketers ($10k+/month) use 3.03 affiliate networks on average.
24.6% of affiliate marketers use the Clickbank affiliate network.
21.8% of affiliate marketersuse the ShareASale affiliate network.
20.5% of affiliate marketers use the CJ affiliate network.
15.7% of affiliate marketersuse the Impact affiliate network.
11.7% of affiliate marketers use the Awin affiliate network.
46.6% of affiliate marketershave no preference between affiliate networks vs. in-house programs.
24.46% of affiliate marketers locate affiliate programs on the merchant’s website.
99% of affiliate programs offer a CPA payment model.
In the United States, 71% of affiliate publishers operate with three or more networks.
There are 11,400 affiliate programs in the United States.
B2C affiliate programs account for 59.32% of all affiliate programs used by marketers.
48.9% of affiliate marketing programs pay a flat rate.
42.4% of affiliate marketing programs pay affiliates a percentage of sales.

Sources: Authority Hacker, Cleverbridge, Forrester, Zippia, Wonder

Affiliate Niche-Specific InsightsThe most competitive niches tend to be the most profitable, with Education/E-Learning, Travel, and Beauty/Skincare leading the way. If you’re considering entering a competitive niche, know that your efforts will likely be rewarded for the increased competition.

SaaS products seem to pay the highest commissions, and the Toy and Home & Garden niches are surging in popularity.

The 3 most profitable niches are Education/E-Learning, Travel, and Beauty/Skincare.
Affiliate marketers in the education and eLearning niche earn an average monthly income of $15,551.
Affiliate marketers in the travel niche earn an average monthly income of $13,847.
Affiliate marketers in the beauty and skincare niche earn an average monthly income of $12,475.
Affiliate marketers in the finance niche earn an average monthly income of $9,296.
Affiliate marketers in the technology niche earn an average monthly income of $7,418.
Affiliate marketers in the digital marketing niche earn an average monthly income of $7,217.
Around 14% of Instagram affiliate marketers operate in the lifestyle niche.
Saas-based products pay 20 to 70% commission to their affiliates.
19% of affiliate programs are in the fashion industry.
The toy industry saw a 109% growth in affiliate marketing last year.
The retail sector generates 43% of affiliate marketing revenue.
The home and garden industry is the fastest-growing industry, with 209.72% growth year-over-year.
The beauty industry is the slowest-growing industry, with 17.24% growth year-over-year.

Sources: Authority Hacker, Knometrix, eMarketer, Refersion

Trending Technologies & StrategiesAs we confirmed in our AI survey, marketers are incorporating AI tools into many aspects of their affiliate marketing business – including content creation.

Among other affiliate marketing trends, blogging remains the most popular way to promote affiliate products, and a minority of marketers are leveraging video content.

79.3% of affiliate marketers are embracing AI-driven content creation.
79.1% of affiliate marketers use blogging as the main way to promote affiliate offers.
19.3% of affiliate marketers create video content for affiliate product promotions.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, 65% of chief financial officers planned to increase their investment in affiliate marketing.

Sources: Authority Hacker, AWIN, SaaS Scout, Finances Online

Traffic Acquisition Metrics & MethodsMany affiliate marketers are leveraging SEO and organic social media marketing to drive visitor numbers, with a smaller yet substantial group capitalizing on email marketing. Social media use decreases as marketers gain more experience, indicating it isn’t as lucrative as other traffic sources.

The average monthly website traffic for affiliate marketers is approximately 56,673 visitors.
78.3% of affiliate marketers use SEO as a primary traffic source.
35.5% of affiliate marketers use organic social media marketing as a primary traffic source.
22.8% of affiliate marketers use email marketing as a primary traffic source.
Marketers with 6+ years of experience rely 26.7% less on organic social media traffic than beginners.

Sources: Authority Hacker

Social Media DynamicsFacebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are the leaders in social media affiliate marketing strategy, with YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn trailing behind. Most marketers are leveraging multiple platforms and don’t have many followers.

75.8% of affiliate marketers use Facebook for affiliate product promotions.
61.4% of affiliate marketers use Instagram for affiliate marketing.
42.2% of affiliate marketers use Pinterest for affiliate marketing.
36.9% of affiliate marketers use YouTube videos for affiliate promotions.
31.1% of affiliate marketers use Twitter for affiliate marketing.
29.6% of affiliate marketers use TikTok for affiliate marketing.
19% of affiliate marketers use LinkedIn for affiliate marketing.
85.8% of affiliate marketers who use social media to drive traffic have less than 10,000 followers.
20.3% of affiliate marketers network with other marketers through social media.
The average social media affiliate marketer uses 3.02 social platforms at the same time.

Sources: Authority Hacker

Affiliate Marketer Profiles, Demographics, & Team Dynamics The average affiliate marketer has 2.8 years of experience. * 64.4% of affiliate marketers do not socialize with other marketers. * Affiliate marketers earning $10k+ per month are 1.5x more likely to socialize with other affiliate marketers. * Affiliate marketers earning $10k+ per month are 7x more likely to attend in-person conferences. * 77.1% of affiliate marketers are solopreneurs with no team members. * The average affiliate marketing teamsize is about 2.3 people. * Affiliate marketers earning 6+ figures annually have 6.17x more team members. * Males make up 54% of affiliate marketers, while female affiliates make up 43%. * More than 75% of affiliate marketing managers are female. * People within the 35 to 44 age group make up 32% of the total affiliate marketing industry. * 57% of affiliate marketers are situated in the United States, 10% in Canada, and 2%* in India.

Sources: Authority Hacker, Statista

Performance Metrics & ChallengesGenerating traffic is the top challenge for affiliate marketers, though only ¼ have been negatively impacted by a search algorithm update. Among those who have been negatively impacted, changing content strategy was the most popular response.

Traffic and search algorithm updates aren’t easy to deal with. Know that if you’ve ever considered quitting affiliate marketing, you’re not alone. Nearly a third of high-earners have considered giving it up at some point in their careers.

45.3% of affiliate marketers say getting traffic is their biggest challenge.
Only 25.1% of affiliate marketers have been negatively impacted by search algorithm updates.
47.4% of affiliate marketers who have been negatively affected by algorithm updates changed their content strategy.
31.3% of affiliate marketers earning 6+ figures annually considered giving up affiliate marketing at some point.
26.9% of marketers report inadequate support from affiliate managers as a major challenge.
83.1% of affiliate marketers are optimistic about the future of affiliate marketing.
63% of marketers are concerned about affiliate marketing fraud.
Affiliate marketing conversion rate averages about 0.5% to 1%.

Sources: Authority Hacker, AWIN

Best PracticesIf you’re looking for the best affiliate marketing tactics, our survey data indicates that you should be choosing products based on current trends, leveraging email marketing, taking affiliate marketing courses, and diversifying your traffic.

Trend-based product selection earns 47.16% more than choosing based on commissions or personal experience.
35.1% of affiliate marketers choose products based on personal interest and experience.
25.1% of affiliate marketers choose products based on commission rates.
63.9% of affiliate marketers promote physical products and services.
51.9% of affiliate marketers promote digital products and services.
75.5% of affiliate marketers find that time-sensitive promotions have little to no impact.
Affiliate marketers who use email marketing earn 66.4% more than those who don’t.
Experienced affiliate marketers are using email marketing 47.8% more than beginners.
66% of affiliate marketers earning $10,000+ per month have taken affiliate marketing courses.
Beginners (less than 3 years of experience) who take affiliate marketing courses earn 57.7% more than those who don’t.
High-earning affiliate marketers ($10k+/month) diversify traffic sources 21.56% more than average.
64.8% of marketers use Google Analytics to track affiliate conversions.
Affiliate marketing is seen as a critical skill by 40% of digital marketers.

Sources: Authority Hacker

Consumer Behavior & ResearchAlmost everyone is using the internet to guide their purchase decisions, and most of those online consumers visit affiliate websites before making a purchase. Influencers have immense sway over consumer decisions, and those who use video have an advantage over those who don’t.

Prior to making a purchase, 74% of U.S. internet consumers visit numerous affiliate websites.
Mobile devices account for 50% of affiliate-related traffic.
87% of U.S. consumers now start their shopping experience online with product searches.
81% of customers use online research methods like Google before purchasing a product.
88% of consumers have been inspired to buy something by an influencer.
64%of consumers prefer videos when interacting with influencer content

Sources: CyberCash Worldwide, CallHippo, Zippia, IAB

ConclusionIndustry data and general sentiment suggest that affiliate marketing will grow significantly in the years to come.

While the explosion of AI will force marketers to adapt and stay relevant, those who are tech-savvy and willing to learn have a golden opportunity to rise to the top of this lucrative industry.

FAQWhat Percentage of Affiliate Marketers Are Successful?Affiliate marketers get a successful conversion rate of 0.5% to 1% per visitor. However, this is a rough estimate, and our data shows that conversion rate increases as affiliate marketers gain more experience.

What Is the Growth Rate of Affiliate Marketing?The growth rate of affiliate marketing is approximately 10% year-over-year. This trend is expected to continue with a forecasted market size of $27.78 billion by 2027 – a 63% increase over the current size of $17 billion.

What Is the Average ROI for Affiliate Marketing?Brands who use affiliate marketing get an average return on investment (ROI) of $15 for every dollar spent, which equates to a 1400% return. 20% of brands also say affiliate marketing is their most successful channel, which indicates many companies get a high ROI from this strategy.

Can You Really Make 6 Figures With Affiliate Marketing?You can really make 6 figures with affiliate marketing. The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month, which is slightly under a 6-figure annual income.

How Much Do Amazon Affiliates Make?The amount that Amazon affiliates make depends largely on their traffic level and niche. While Amazon Associates is a common beginner affiliate marketing program – and beginners usually don’t make much – nearly half of respondents to our affiliate marketing survey making $10,000+ per month reported using the Amazon affiliate program.

View Details

We surveyed 3,000 full-time remote employees across the United States, posing a hypothetical question: “What cash lump sum payment would entice you back to the office full time?” The surprising results are illustrated below. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the dynamics of workplaces around the globe. The adaptation to remote work has also been advantageous for ... Read more

View Details

We gathered 149 of the top AI statistics for a data-driven glimpse into AI and its future.

Our own verified statistics from our recent AI survey and reliable third-party sources provided the foundation for this list. It covers everything from AI adoption and usage to its perceived dangers in 2023 and beyond.

Top AI Statistics (Editor’s Pick)This hand-picked shortlist of the most compelling AI statistics include key metrics on adoption, personal & business usage, impact on jobs and sentiment towards AI.

35% of businesses have adopted AI.
77% of devices in use feature some form of AI.
9 out of 10 organizations support AI for a competitive advantage.
AI will contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
By 2025, AI might eliminate 85 million jobs but create 97 million new ones, resulting in a net gain of 12 million jobs.
85.1% of AI users use the technology for article writing and content creation.
81.6% of digital marketers think content writers’ jobs are at risk because of AI.
50% of consumers are now optimistic about AI.
33% of consumers think they are using AI platforms (actual usage is 77%).
43% of businesses are concerned about technology dependence.

AI Adoption and Implementation Across IndustriesAI has been around for a while, but it ChatGPT’s public launch in November 2022 propelled its adoption among the general public. ChatGPT set the record for the fastest app growth to 100 million users.

According to IBM, 35% of businesses have already embraced AI. It is clear from the statistics below that most leaders are excited about AI’s potential for enhancing capabilities and lowering costs. Netflix has already saved a reported $1 billion by utilizing machine learning, and AI can boost business performance by as much as 40%.

It’s clear from the following 39 AI adoption statistics that companies are bullish on AI.

35% of businesses now use AI.
Nine out of ten leading businesses invest in AI technologies, but only 14.6% have deployed AI capabilities in their operations.
52% of telephone companies now use AI chatbots.
72% of companies that use AI believe it simplifies their jobs.
59% of executives are convinced that AI applications will enhance big data in their companies.
9 out of 10 organizations support AI for gaining a competitive edge over rivals.
54.9% of people suspect they’ve received undisclosed AI content from a service provider.
80% of retail executives plan to adopt AI automation by 2025.
In 2022, large companies were twice as likely as small ones to use AI.
In 2022, 53% of global IT companies reported accelerated AI adoption over the previous two years.
77% of currently used devices feature some form of AI.
25% of travel and hospitality companies use chatbot technology.
64% of business owners believe AI will boost productivity.
Machine learning at Netflix saves $1 billion.
About 4 out of 10 organizations plan to implement AI.
Approximately 4 out of 5 companies consider AI a top priority in their business strategy.
AI technology is expected to increase banking industry revenue by $1 billion within the next three years.
72% of executives think AI will become the most significant business advantage in the future.
75% of top executives believe AI will help their organization grow.
47% of companies have integrated AI into at least one business function.
63% of organizations intend to adopt AI globally within the next three years.
68% of healthcare organizations employ AI.
63% of IT and telecom sector organizations utilize AI.
44% of automotive organizations implement AI.
AI technology increases business productivity by 40%.
Businesses with over 100,000 employees are more likely to have a strategy implementing AI.
Machine learning has grown by 48% in the automotive sector.
The retail industry leads in AI implementation, with 72% of retailers using AI.
47% of organizations have a defined mobile AI strategy.
84% of global business organizations believe AI will give them a competitive advantage.
85% of business-customer relationships will be managed without human interaction.
97% of business owners think ChatGPT will benefit their business.
35% of businesses worry about the technical skills needed for AI use.
The primary goal for incorporating AI is optimizing internal business operations, according to 36% of executives.
20% of C-suite executives use machine learning.
Oxford University’s AI system can read lips with 93% accuracy using machine learning.
Google processes 6.9 billion daily search queries using global AI technologies.
WhatsApp generates over 100 billion AI-processed messages each day.
By 2035, 75% of vehicles will be equipped with AI technology.

Sources: Authority Hacker, IBM, NewVantage Partners, Gartner, PwC, MIT Sloan Management, Statista, Forbes, Accenture, McKinsey, Tractica, Harvard Business Review, Flexis, Google

Impact of AI on Jobs and EmploymentData from our own AI survey was clear: AI does pose a risk to some jobs. Content writers and creators jobs are among the most at risk today, with many already reporting significant drops in orders as companies try cheaper AI alternatives.

Many more IT and customer service-based jobs could be at risk in the future, though there is also reason to be optimistic about new jobs being created too.

32.9% of businesses have already replaced some human tasks with AI solutions.
81.6% of digital marketers think content writers’ jobs are at risk because of AI.
AI is predicted to boost local GDPs, with China experiencing the largest gain of 26% by 2030.
AI will add 15.7 trillion dollars to the world’s GDP by 2030, boosting it by 14%.
By 2025, AI will eliminate 85 million jobs but create 97 million new ones, resulting in a net gain of 12 million jobs.
10% of nursing tasks could be automated by 2030.
By 2030, intelligent robots may replace 30% of the global workforce.
375 million people may need to change careers by 2030.
A high risk of automation affects 38% of US jobs, 35% in Germany, 30% in the UK, and 21% in Japan.
Cognitive technologies, such as AI and ML, will replace 16% of US jobs by 2025.
AI and other technological changes could displace 75 million jobs by 2025.
20 million manufacturing jobs could be lost to automation by 2030.
Nearly 30% of UK jobs could be replaced by AI in the early 2030s.
52% of experts believe automation will displace jobs but also create new ones.
43% of businesses plan to reduce their workforce due to technological integration.
In the UK, AI could displace retail and wholesale trade workers, manual laborers in manufacturing and construction, and administrative and secretarial workers.

Sources: Authority Hacker, PwC Global, World Economic Forum, EIT Health, McKinsey&Company, Forrester Research, Blumberg Capital, Pew Research Center

AI Impact on Marketing, Customer Service, and SalesMarketers are among the fastest AI adopters to date. The vast majority are confident in their ability to learn to utilize the tech. Customer Service and sales are two other areas where significant efficiencies can be gained with AI.

75.7% of digital marketers now use AI tools for work.
49.5% of marketers use AI tools multiple times per week or more.
67.7% of marketers say that lack of knowledge and time are the two biggest reasons against using AI tools.
69% of digital marketers actively use ChatGPT.
85.1% of AI users use it for blog content creation.
65.8% of people find AI content equal to or better than human writing.
A mere 14.03% of users trust keyword data from AI tools.
Only 32.5% of users trust AI-generated search results.
98.1% of digital marketers acknowledge that some understanding of AI is important for their jobs.
90% of marketers are confident in learning and adapting to new AI tools and technology.
Over 50% of marketers have some concerns about AI replacing them in their own jobs.
60% of marketers feel positive about the rise of the AI industry.
Less than 20% of marketers think AI tools will have a negative impact on content quality.
Only 30.1% of marketers think AI will negatively impact search traffic in 5 years.
72.6% of people are concerned about AI content becoming indistinguishable from human-written content.
37.4% of digital marketers are using AI detection tools.
59.5% of marketers oppose mandatory AI content disclosures.
26% of B2B marketers using chatbots saw a 10-20% increase in lead generation volumes.
In an October 2022 US survey, 57% of B2B marketers used chatbots to understand their audience better.
The chatbot market is forecast to reach around 1.25 billion US dollars in 2025, a significant increase from the market size in 2016, which stood at 190.8 million US dollars.
43% of American marketers found that chatbots helped educate prospects.
59% of marketers believe AI will revolutionize the marketing industry.
70% of consumers expect a chatbot response within 5 minutes.
74% of consumers demand instant answers to their questions.
67% of people expect to use messaging apps to communicate with businesses.
75% of consumers are comfortable with chatbots handling routine customer service tasks, while only 33% approve of chatbots managing complex inquiries.
38% of consumers globally prefer to use chatbots.
80% of consumers prefer using chatbots for simple tasks like checking account balances or booking appointments.
Over 60% of business owners (64%) think AI will improve customer relationships.
AI tech can increase revenue by over $15 trillion in the next decade.

Sources: Authority Hacker, Accenture, Gartner, Forbes

AI Market Size and GrowthMass consumer adoption of AI, largely driven by ChatGPT, has skyrocketed the outlook around AI growth. Companies are investing more into AI solutions across industries such as healthcare, security and education.

AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
The autonomous vehicle industry could be worth $667.7 billion by 2026.
The global AI market is predicted to hit $1.81 trillion by 2030.
The AI software market’s global annual revenue currently exceeds $50 billion.
The wearable AI market is projected to reach $180 billion by 2025.
Worldwide AI chip revenue will surpass $80 billion in the next five years.
The US AI market size is estimated to reach nearly $300 billion by 2026.
AI-powered self-driving vehicles generate over $170 billion in annual revenue worldwide.
AI telecommunications is valued at $2.5 billion and rising.
By 2024, the global AI market will grow to over half a trillion US dollars.
The number of AI startups has increased 14 times since 2000.
AI in the healthcare market grew by 41.2% from 2018 to 2023.
AI in the security market is expected to reach $19.5 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 40.6% from 2018.
AI in the education market is projected to reach $2.0 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 42.9% from 2018.
The global AI market is currently worth $136.6 billion.
Global AI is growing at a CAGR of nearly 40%.
AI service revenue will increase by over 6x in five years.
The AI market is set to grow by 38% in 2023.
AI in the transportation market is expected to reach $6.8 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 21.5% from 2018.
AI in the manufacturing market is projected to reach $7.2 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 42.2% from 2018.
AI in the energy and utilities market is predicted to reach $1.5 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 38.3% from 2018.

Sources: PwC Global, GrandViewResearch, Omdia, Global Market Insights, The Insight Partners, Markets and Markets, Statista, Forbes, Tractica

Consumer Perspectives on AIWhile the rapid adoption of AI speaks volumes about how people feel, it’s not without its faults. AI sounds very convincing, even when it makes up facts. This can pose serious issues in a world where polarization, fake news, and biases dominate the political landscape.

AI-generated content concerns 63% of individuals due to potential bias or inaccuracies.
AI is viewed optimistically by 50% of consumers.
A majority, two-thirds of modern consumers, are open to AI enhancing customer engagement.
Private information protection by AI is doubted by 52% of consumers.
Half of the consumers perceive job loss to computers as a current reality.
Four out of every ten consumers believe AI usage will make companies more cautious with customer data.
A mere 7% of individuals trust chatbots for claim-making.
The AI market’s limited transparency worries approximately 75% of CEOs.
Around 41% of consumers from India, China, Western Europe, and the US see AI as a life-improving tool.
Chatbots have a positive image among 38% of consumers.
Significant attention towards generative and conversational AI (especially ChatGPT) was observed from 48% of the public in 2023.
Understanding AI is claimed by fewer than half of consumers.
Nearly half (49%) of consumers question the safety of automation in healthcare.
For 28% of people, the value of human touch in tasks is irreplaceable.
AI is believed to enhance their lives by 41% of consumers.
AI platform usage is believed to be at 33% by consumers, whereas the actual usage is 77%.
Dependency on technology is a concern for 43% of businesses.
A survey revealed that 57% of consumers prefer chatbots, leaving 43% preferring human interaction.
AI’s impact on website traffic worries nearly a quarter (24%) of business owners.

Sources: Authority Hacker, Blumberg Capital, Salesforce, PwC, LivePerson, Forbes, Accenture

AI Voice Assistant and Smart Speaker StatisticsVoice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri have shown remarkable improvements in their capabilities and accuracy. And the adoption rate of these AI-powered assistants worldwide is truly unprecedented. AI’s ability to understand and process natural language makes it perfect for voice interaction.

Siri from Apple ranks last in commerce-related accuracy, only giving correct answers 68% of the time.
In 2021, Amazon’s Alexa had roughly 80,000 skills within the US and over 100,000 globally.
Google has a 17% share of the global smart speaker market.
Google Assistant ranks first in accuracy among voice assistants.
Over half of all Americans use voice assistants to gather information.
By 2024, there will be 8.4 billion digital voice assistants in use globally, outnumbering the world population.
The most popular voice search tasks include checking the weather (42%), setting alarms (36%), and playing music (34%).
While multitasking, 60% of people use voice search.
Over 70% of voice search users find local business information through it.
Purchases are made using voice-activated devices by 40% of owners.
Nearly half of Americans (46%) use voice-controlled virtual assistants.
Google Assistant is considered the “smartest” voice assistant, with an impressive 98% accuracy rate.
Amazon’s Alexa is present in more than 60,000 devices globally.
A large majority of both Android (96%) and iPhone (98%) users use AI voice assistants.
Daily, 55% of consumers use voice search to find local business information.
Companies offering a voice-activated assistant are preferred by 62% of voice search users.
About 40% of US internet users make use of voice search on a daily basis.
66% of voice search users make weekly purchases through their devices.
Voice search is used daily by 41% of adults and 55% of teens.
20% of mobile searches are voice-based.
Voice-activated device owners use their devices daily (70%) and multiple times a day (40%).
60% of consumers prefer using voice search over typing on a mobile device.
A whopping 97% of mobile users utilize AI-powered voice assistants.
As of the end of 2020, 30% of web browsing and searches were conducted without a screen.

Sources: Statista, Edison Research, Pew Research Center, Gartner

ConclusionCurrent data suggests that AI adoption will keep soaring in the coming years.

There are numerous significant issues to overcome, such as the impact on jobs, technology dependence, and security. But given the scale of AI adoption, these problems can and will be solved.

FAQWhat percent of the population uses AI?Determining the exact percent of the global population using AI is challenging as there is no verifiable data available at the moment. However, based on the Global AI Adoption Index study conducted by IBM, it’s evident that about 35% of businesses have incorporated AI into their operations.

What is the most advanced AI technology right now? Several cutting-edge AI technologies currently stand out, such as natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and computer vision. Notably, the recent emergence of Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) models, known for their capabilities in NLP, represents a significant advancement in the realm of AI.

Which industry uses AI the most?The sector that extensively deploys AI the most is the supply chain and manufacturing industry. Based on data from Statista, the rate of AI adoption within global supply chain enterprises is projected to reach 55% by the year 2025.

What are the different types of AI?AI comes in various forms, and as per an article by Forbes, there are four distinct categories of AI or AI-based systems. These include reactive machines, machines with limited memory, AI with a ‘theory of mind’, and self-aware AI systems.

What is the future of AI?The recent advancement in AI is expected to pave the way for more sophisticated, efficient, and helpful AI applications, potentially revolutionizing patient care, human-computer interaction, technological infrastructure, and financial transactions. Overall, the future of AI looks promising.

What is the difference between AI, machine learning, and deep learning?AI, machine learning, and deep learning represent a nested hierarchy of progressively specialized fields.
AI is the broadest concept, encompassing any machine or software that mimics human intelligence.
Machine learning is a subset of AI, involving systems that improve performance through exposure to data without explicit programming.
Deep learning is a further subset of machine learning, focusing on complex neural networks capable of processing vast amounts of data, often exceeding the capabilities of traditional machine learning models.

View Details

We surveyed 3,812 digital marketers to find out exactly how they’re leveraging AI. We asked them 27 thought-provoking questions to paint a detailed picture of this rapidly evolving landscape.

Key Takeaways From The SurveyHere’s a summary of the most interesting findings and key statistics:

75.7% of marketers are now using AI tools for work. This shows just how fast AI has been adopted in the industry.

AI is being used regularly too, with 49.5% of marketers using AI tools multiple times per week or more.

69% of marketers are using ChatGPT, largely due to OpenAI making it widely available for free to everyone.

AI content quality is already seen as really good. 65.8% of people think AI content is equal to or better than human writing.

63% of AI adopters cite inaccuracies in AI content as a major challenge. This is widely known but hasn’t put many people off using AI.

85.1% of marketers are using AI for article writing. This is a very large percentage and shows just how popular AI content creation has become in a short amount of time.

It is becoming incredibly important to know about AI for your job. 98.1% of marketers acknowledge that some understanding of AI is important for their job.

AI is putting some jobs more at risk than others. 81.6% of marketers think content writers’ jobs are at risk because of AI.

Companies are already replacing people. 32.9% of businesses have already replaced some human tasks with AI solutions.

60% of marketers feel positive about the rise of the AI industry. The sentiment is largely positive as marketers have lots to gain from using this technology.

Just recently, many marketers were worried about losing search traffic to AI. Now only 30.1% of Marketers think AI will negatively impact search traffic in 5 years.

There is concern about service providers not disclosing the use of AI in their work. 54.9% of respondents suspect they’ve received undisclosed AI content from a service provider.

About This SurveyWe created a 27-question survey to learn more about how digital marketers are harnessing AI technology. To reach a broad audience, we promoted the survey to our 100k email subscribers, shared it on Twitter, dropped it in our Podcast, and hit up our Facebook and Discord communities. We also ran a few paid ads on Facebook and Twitter to boost responses.

In just seven days, we collected 3,812 responses – five times more than any other survey we have run. No surprise there, given the surge in interest in AI right now.

Just over 50% of respondents were website owners, while freelancers made up one-fifth. The rest were a near even mix of agencies, in-house employees, and other marketers.

At Authority Hacker, our content caters to website owners. So it makes sense that half of the survey participants fall into this group.

We also tracked the geographic distribution of participants and found an impressive representation from 134 countries. We categorized these by region. North America, Europe, and Asia made up the majority of the participants.

75.7% of Marketers Are Now Using AI Tools for WorkWe’ve all seen the headlines that ChatGPT is the fastest growing app of all time. But our survey reveals that a staggering 75.7% of online marketers already use AI tools in their daily work.

Let that sink in for a moment. AI isn’t some future tech – it’s here, now, and actively being used by a vast majority of people in the online marketing landscape

We can only see this number increasing as more people unlock its potential at work.

49.5% Of Marketers Are Using AI Tools FrequentlyWe split out the respondents who said they are using AI and found that 30.3% use it daily. A further 33.8% use it several times per week.

When compared to all survey respondents, the combined total (64.1%) equates to 49.5% of all marketers.

It appears we’ve moved beyond early adopters just testing it out into an era where AI is becoming a core component of work for many professionals. It’s hard to imagine this trend slowing down any time soon either.

Lack Of Knowledge And Lack Of Time Are The Two Biggest Reasons Against Using AI ToolsWe wanted to understand why 21.1% of survey respondents haven’t embraced AI. Their main reasons?

The majority 45.2% cited a lack of knowledge as the barrier. The learning curve for using tools like ChatGPT is really small. Most users grasp it after just a few prompt-writing attempts.

Its natural language interaction also makes it very user friendly. I suspect that many people perceive the learning process will be more challenging than it actually is.

Lack of time held back others, which is ironic considering AI’s time-saving capabilities. It’s possible that people believe it will take too long to learn how to use it effectively. Anecdotally, I’ve seen technophobes like my mom pick it up in 15 minutes or so.

Lastly, 13.9% worried about the accuracy of AI data or content. This is a valid concern as AI frequently makes stuff up. And it sounds very confident when it does. To combat this, ask the AI to give you a confidence score for something it’s said. This will reveal its true position in a more objective manner.

69% Of Marketers Are Using ChatGPT, Making It By Far The Most Popular AI ToolChatGPT is 4 months old at the time of writing. Yet 89.3% of all AI adopters are using it already. That woks out to 69% of all marketers. This beats all other AI tools by a significant margin.

Why the rapid adoption? This is likely due to ChatGPT’s free basic account and affordable paid options, making it accessible to all. I’m personally glad OpenAI decided to go with this approach rather than gate it behind some exorbitant enterprise pricing.

While ChatGPT reigns supreme, other free and paid tools still thrive. Jasper (formerly Jarvis), Frase, and Copy.ai are a few of the notable commercial tools that have been around since the underlying GPT-3’s debut in 2020.

When we looked at just AI image-generation tools, Midjourney (54.4%) and DALL-E-2 (33.7%) were dominating that segment of the market.

Interestingly, ChatGPT and DALL-E are both owned by OpenAI, but it seems they still have some way to go in dominating the image-generation market.

85.1% Of AI Users Are Using It For Blog Content CreationWe asked our AI using respondents what they use AI for. A whopping 85.1% reported using it for article or blog writing, while 47.8% put it to work for copywriting. Admittedly there is some overlap between these two use cases, but it’s clear that AI tools are being used predominantly for content creation.

SEO keyword research is another AI favorite with 37.5% harnessing its power. AI is brilliant in generating seed keyword ideas, though in our experience it’s less adept at completing a full set of keyword research.

As users become more proficient with AI, it’s likely that we’ll see an increase in more complex prompts and use cases too.

Check out our recent podcast where we dish out 9 ChatGPT prompts for content creation, keyword research and link building.

65.8% Of People Think AI Content Is Equal To Or Better Than Human WritingWhen GPT-3 was first released, many commentators, myself included, claimed it couldn’t outwrite humans. Well, GPT-4 has proved us wrong. Indeed, nearly two-thirds of people in our survey now believe AI is just good or even better than humans at crafting content.

This is very significant.

The quality of the content ultimately depends on the quality of the prompt and guidance you feed the AI. But even a mediocre input can generate impressive AI output.

Recently, Google has changed its stance to declare it doesn’t care if content is AI generated or not, so long as it’s high quality. This has given publishers the green light to embrace AI with open arms.

But what does this mean for writers? Job security could be at risk in the very near future, although there is evidence that many writers are already enlisting AI to produce content (more on that later)…

63% Of People Are Worried About Bias Or Inaccuracies In AI-Generated ContentOur survey revealed that 63% of respondents identified bias and inaccuracies in AI-generated content as their biggest challenge.

AI’s convincing writing can be problematic when it gets basic facts wrong because it’s not obvious.

Most teams we’ve spoken to tackle this by incorporating checks to their editorial process. However even major publishers are getting it wrong. CNET.com famously created an AI article with wildly incorrect interest rate information.

While human editors also occasionally let mistakes slip, marketers seem to trust them more than AI tools.

Fortunately the vast majority 88.1% of respondents said they verified the accuracy of AI-generated content.

But having seen inside countless teams’ editorial processes, I can say for sure that the thoroughness of these checks will vary wildly from company to company.

It’s one thing to have a process to fact check. It’s another for that process to be robust and tightly followed.

What’s concerning is the 11.9% of marketers who are not fact checking their AI-generated content. AI is notorious for making up facts and this segment of people have no qualms about publishing that unchecked.

This may be a small percentage of users, but given their near unlimited ability to generate lots of content, this poses a risk for the industry.

Only 14.03% Of Users Trust Keyword Data From AI ToolsIn a previous question about AI uses, 37.5% of people were using it for keyword research. However, we found that only 14.03% of these users trusted the keyword data from AI tools.

This is understandable as it’s easy to replicate a scenario where AI simply makes up the data. Try asking AI to find keywords and their volumes for a number of keywords related to a topic. Check the numbers. Then repeat the process. Chances are, you’ll get completely different numbers each time.

While 100% accuracy is impossible, AI’s wild data variances leave users skeptical and rightfully so.

Only 32.5% Of Users Trust AI-Generated Search ResultsBing pioneered search integration but many doubt that AI can provide them with the information they need.

Google and other search engines have long utilized AI technology to improve organic search results. So this question focuses more on the switch from traditional search interfaces, to the perception of an AI interface.

Google has positioned its Bard AI service as distinct from Google Search, mitigating any initial trust issues that users may have when using it. If users dislike Bard, they won’t perceive traditional Google Search as declining in quality.

98.1% Of Marketers Acknowledge That Some Understanding Of AI Is Important For Their JobsThe vast majority of respondents (89.1%) said that it was at least slightly important for marketers to have an understanding of AI for their jobs.

But 79.98% said it was very important or extremely important. This is quite an extreme result and shows how marketers see AI becoming an integral part of their jobs.

AI is already becoming an entwined is popular business tools like Microsoft Office and Notion. I’d go as far as to say that most office jobs will require some basic AI skills in the near future.

For marketing, this is arguably more important. The zero-sum game nature of SEO, means that there are only 10 websites that can claim the coveted spots on the first page of Google. Not to ignore cost, but this competition may be the driving force behind the fast AI adoption we’re seeing in online marketing.

90% Of Marketers Are Confident In Their Ability To Learn And Adapt To New AI Tools And TechnologyThe good news is that 90% of marketers are confident in their ability to learn and adapt to new AI tools and technologies.

AI tools are easy to get the hang of. No coding or complex commands are required since all instructions can be given in plain English. So it makes sense that most marketers feel confident in their ability to use new AI tools.

Online marketers tend to be quite tech savvy and therefore should find it easier to pick up new technology faster than the general population.

Although basic tasks are simple with AI, it can very quickly get more complex. Long, detailed prompts require lots of experimentation to get right.

I think that we’ll quickly start to see two levels of AI usage. A basic level for simple tasks that everyone can do. And a far more advanced level for complex tasks that few can master. Think of Excel: you can use it for basic calculations, or you can use it for complex formulas and macros. Far fewer people have mastered everything it’s capable of.

81.6% Of Marketers Think Content Writers’ Jobs Are At Risk Because Of AIWe asked our respondents which jobs they felt were most at risk of being replaced by AI. 81.6% said that Content Writers’ jobs were at risk. That is significantly more than any other profession.

There are two tiers of writers in the marketing world. There are topic experts who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and command high prices. Then there are “SEO writers” who lack specialist skills and simply write on any topic with a quick Google search.

This second group is most at risk in the immediate future because they don’t often add value. They just rehash what’s already ranking. That is exactly what AI is doing behind the scenes when you ask it to write something. And while it gets some facts wrong, the end result is usually well-crafted. I think it will be a lot longer before topic specialists and expert writers are replaced by AI.

Smart writers are probably already using AI themselves to help them churn out content faster.

But it’s not just writers who should be on high alert: other roles involving content creation such as email marketing and social media marketing could see job losses too.

Over Half Of Marketers Have Some Concerns About AI Replacing Them In Their Own JobsHalf of marketers (50.6%) are concerned or somewhat concerned about AI taking their jobs. Though the number who are most concerned is lower at only 8.1%.

This could be because it’s just too early to say how this will impact jobs. While it’s almost inevitable that there will be an impact, and possibly a big one, it is less clear how exactly this will be felt.

If we look back to the later parts of the 20th century, the rise of computers and the internet led to job losses. However many more new jobs were created that could not have been predicted, including many of the jobs that the respondents of this survey now possess.

Those who are adaptable and embrace AI technology will stand the best chance of thriving in any AI influenced job market.

32.9% Of Businesses Have Already Replaced Some Human Tasks With AI SolutionsChanges to the job market could come much sooner than you think – 32.9% of respondents said their business had already swapped out some human tasks with AI solutions.

This shows just how quick businesses are at adopting AI tech. Big changes are already in motion here. We’d expect this number to increase significantly over the next 12 months too.

We’re also likely to see the scale of AI replacing human tasks increase as marketers get better at prompt engineering and getting AI to perform bigger tasks. We’re still in the Wild West phase of AI development, where everyone’s racing to figure out its potential. The future is still anyone’s guess.

60% Of Marketers Feel Positive About The Rise Of The AI IndustryWe surveyed people’s sentiments towards AI and discovered that 60% view AI positively, 32.2% have neutral feelings, and only 7.7% see it negatively.

This comes as a surprise, considering the AI-related doom often portrayed in the media. At least for now, few marketers share these concerns.

It’s likely because marketers and small publishers stand to benefit significantly from the use of AI technology in their businesses.

When AI search first emerged, we observed a level of anxiety in our community. The usual “SEO is dead” rhetoric reared its head. Yet as we move through 2023, AI’s impact on marketing has been mostly positive with search traffic remaining strong.

ChatGPT in particular has made AI accessible to all marketers. This is likely driving a lot of the positive sentiment.

Less Than 20% Of Marketers Think AI Tools Will Have A Negative Impact On Content QualityA previous question highlighted concerns about the accuracy of facts in AI content. We wanted to know how respondents thought AI tools will affect overall content quality in the next five years.

Almost half (49.7%) of marketers believe AI tools will boost content quality. A further 30.4% foresee no impact on content quality. And a mere 19.9% predict a negative outcome.

For those expecting a decline in quality, this is likely due to the potential flood of content. Throwing that out there without any kind of quality checks would result in a lot of bad content.

But the majority remains optimistic. Roughly half of the respondents see AI having a positive impact, likely due to its writing capabilities. Right now, you still need to hand hold it with certain facts and data. But it’s reasonable to assume its accuracy will only improve over the next five years.

Only 30.1% Of Marketers Think AI Will Negatively Impact Search Traffic In 5 YearsJust a few months ago, there were countless blog posts and videos (including ours) worrying about AI taking away a significant portion of search traffic. After all, if AI could give you the answer on the search results page, why would you need to click through to any website?

Anecdotally, we’ve seen fewer people worry about it in the past couple of months. There seems to be more of a positive attitude toward how AI will affect the world of online marketing.

Our survey confirms this. Almost half (49.1%) of marketers think AI will have a positive impact on search traffic. And one-fifth (20.8%) think it will be neutral. In both these cases, this could be because marketers are weighing up their increased productivity and output against any traffic that AI in search engines may take away from them.

However, a solid 30.1% still think that AI will have a negative impact on search traffic. That is understandable as we still don’t know what the full potential of AI in search is just yet.

Publishers can take comfort in the fact that AI will still need them to create content for quite some time. AI needs source material to learn from. If you take that away, the AI has worse answers and that would cause less people to use it. It’s clear there is a symbiotic relationship between publishers and AI, which according to Microsoft’s CEO would “live or die” based on its ability to drive people to publishers’ content.

72.6% Of People Are Concerned About AI Content Becoming Indistinguishable From Human-Written ContentEarlier we established that most people think AI content is at least as good, if not better than, human content. We wanted to understand if marketers were concerned about AI content becoming indistinguishable from human content.

While 72.6% of people expressed some concerns, only 20.2% were very or extremely concerned. As many publishers benefit from this, it’s understandable they are less concerned. We’d expect that if this question was run to content consumers, there would be a greater level of concern.

Google’s stance on this is to evaluate content based on its quality, not how it was made. But individuals are still concerned about not knowing what is and what is not produced by AI.

54.9% Of Respondents Suspect They’ve Received Undisclosed AI Content From A Service ProviderWhen AI content first emerged, there were numerous tutorials showcasing how to generate and sell AI-written articles. Back in September 2021, we did an experiment and discovered AI content outperformed many cheaper writers. And the technology has only improved since.

More than half of our survey respondents (54.9%) believed they’d received undisclosed AI-generated content from service providers.

This sparks debate on whether the content’s creation method matters. I’m sure service providers would argue that clients pay for the end product, not the time it takes to create it. This could have a downward pressure on prices if the supply of content can be ramped up considerably.

And a solid case could certainly be made for providers to disclose their use of AI-generated content. We’ll explore that later in this article.

37.4% Of Marketers Are Using AI Detection ToolsIt makes sense that managers and business owners would want to know if their employees or service providers use AI tools to do their work.

We found that 37.4% of marketers utilize AI detection. Tools such as Content At Scale and Originality.ai claim to be able to determine if content is written by AI or not.

OpenAI has its own AI classification tool too. However it only correctly identifies 26% of AI-written text correctly.

A recent article in NewScientist takes it a step further, stating that reliably detecting AI-generated text is mathematically impossible.

It is worrying that so many people are using AI detection tools which are known to be wildly inaccurate. We’ve spoken with agencies who have had clients use these tools and incorrectly claim that the work was carried out by AI when it was not.

59.5% of Marketers Oppose Mandatory AI Content DisclosuresA big part of the uproar when Gael broke the news that CNET generated AI-written content was how it obfuscated the fact it was written by AI. In some cases, disclosing it only after clicking through to the author page.

Understandably, readers want to know who’s behind the articles influencing their decisions..

Our survey participants were primarily creators, not readers. So it was interesting to see that a majority (59.5%) opposed mandatory AI content disclosures.

Of the 1,542 (40.2%) of respondents who supported mandatory AI content disclosures, we asked a follow-up question about whether they would disclose their own use of AI on their website.

While 71.2% said yes, a noteworthy 28.8% said they would not. Given that these were all people in favor of mandatory disclosures, it does look like there were some double standards here.

Quite how any such laws could be enforced is anyone’s guess.

Over to YouThe results of this survey surprised us. AI adoption and usage among marketers is far more prevalent than we anticipated.

While we can’t ignore the risks of AI, it seems that we are already in a place where most marketers are already making heavy use of it. There are clear benefits to businesses who are at the forefront of this revolution – cost savings, improved quality and speed of execution. But it may be some time before we know the true cost and impact of this technology.

Looking back, I’m reminded of the incredible article on Wait But Why published 8 years ago now. Author Tim Urban explained how AI was getting exponentially faster, and that perceiving its growth accurately was challenging for us humans.

In 2015, at the time AI was slightly smarter than an ant. This year we’ve seen AI pass the US Medical Licensing Exam and the bar exam. What happens next is anyone’s guess…

But what’s your take on our findings?

Share your thoughts on our Twitter thread.

How are digital marketers using AI in 2023?

We (at @authorityhacker) surveyed 3,812 of them to find out.

Here are some of the most intriguing insights we’ve uncovered. pic.twitter.com/VoQPNDncZQ

— Gael Breton (@GaelBreton) April 11, 2023

View Details

We gathered 71 of the top link building statistics to help understand how the industry works. Recent changes to the Google algorithm has changed how people build links in 2023.

We took verified statistics from our own surveys and data studies. Using our 15 years of link building experience, we also took stats from trusted third parties.

Most SEOs regard links as critical to any campaign, despite Google often downplaying their importance. So let’s take a look at the latest stats.

General Link Building Statistics* 93.8% of link builders say link quality is more important than link quantity. (Authority Hacker) * 79.7% of SEOs consider link building an important part of their SEO strategy. (Authority Hacker) * 65% of digital marketers say link building is the hardest part of SEO (SEO Tribunal) * Only 2.2% of content gets links from more than one site. (Backlinko) * Google’s page ranking algorithm regards links as one of the top two criteria considered. (Search Engine Land) * According to SEO experts, backlinks are the third most important factor for ranking a site. (Databox) * The vast majority of online content, around 94%, does not receive any external links. (Backlinko) * The number of backlinks a web page has is directly correlated with the amount of organic traffic it receives (Ahrefs) * Among the factors contributing to successful SEO, backlinks, specifically the number of referring domains to a URL, are the most strongly correlated. (Authority Hacker)

Who Builds Links* 73.5% of link builders build fewer than 10 links per month. (Authority Hacker) * Experienced link builders build 3.57x as many links as beginners. (Authority Hacker) * Agencies have the highest proportion of experienced link builders, with 59.4% having over 5 years of experience. (Authority Hacker) * The average website owner builds around 9 links per month. (Authority Hacker) * Link building is considered the most difficult part of search optimization by 41% of SEO experts. (Conductor) * To help with their link building efforts, 36% of businesses hire outside experts or freelancers. (Aira) * 42% of SEO professionals spend equal time building internal and external links. (Databox)

Link Building and Impact on Search Rankings* It typically takes an average of 3.1 months for the impact of links on search rankings to be observed. (Authority Hacker) * 89.2% of link builders say it takes between 1 and 6 months to see the impact of links on search rankings. (Authority Hacker) * 65.4% of SEOs think domain authority is more important than the number of links on the target page when it comes to search rankings. (Authority Hacker) * The page ranking #1 on Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than other pages. (Backlinko)

Link Building Tactics* Guest posting is the most popular link building tactic, with 64.9% of link builders using it. (Authority Hacker) * 46.3% of link builders reported using HARO (Help a Reporter Out) regularly. (Authority Hacker) * 51.6% of link builders use link exchanges as one of their tactics. (Authority Hacker) * 43.7% of top-ranking pages on Google have at least some reciprocal links. (Ahrefs) * Only 17.7% of link builders use Digital PR to acquire links, making it the least used link building tactic. (Authority Hacker) * Only 6% of website owners pursue digital PR link building. (Authority Hacker) * Agencies and In-house SEOs are more than 3 times as likely to do digital PR. (Authority Hacker) * Digital PR gets 433% more popular as link builders gain several years of experience. (Authority Hacker) * Link builders rate creating link-worthy content as the most effective link building tactic. (Authority Hacker) * Long-form content generates more links, with an average of 77.2% more links than short articles. (Backlinko) * “Why” posts, “What” posts, and infographics receive 25.8% more links compared to videos and “How-to” posts. (Backlinko) * 89% of marketers produce content with the goal of building links. (Aira) * 31% of marketers run outreach campaigns to build links to a new piece of content for up to 4 weeks after launching it. (Aira) * 19.9% of link builders actively buy and redirect domains to acquire links. (Authority Hacker) * It takes an average of 8 days for an outreach email to convert into a backlink. (Authority Hacker) * Using the recipient’s first name in the initial outreach increases the backlink acquisition by about 50%. (Authority Hacker) * Sending follow-up emails in link-building outreach campaigns results in 40% more links being acquired. (Authority Hacker)

Social Media and Link Building* 61.7% of link builders use social media channels for some of their outreach. (Authority Hacker) * Link builders using social media for outreach gain an average of 22% extra links per month. (Authority Hacker) * 23.5% of link builders use Facebook for link building outreach and finding contact info. (Authority Hacker) * 17.3% of link builders use LinkedIn for link building outreach and finding contact info. (Authority Hacker) * Content that is widely shared receives 2-5 times more organic traffic and backlinks. (Authority Hacker)

Link Building Costs* Experienced link builders are an average of 49% cheaper to hire on a cost-per-link basis. (Authority Hacker) * SEOs allocated an average of 28% of their SEO budget to link building. (Authority Hacker) * 78.1% of SEOs see satisfying ROI from their link building efforts. (Authority Hacker) * 46% of marketers spend $10,000 or more annually on link building, while 22% spend between $1,000 and $2,500. (Aira) * Brands spend $1,000 or more to gain a quality link. (Siege Media)

Paying for links* 74.3% of link builders pay for links. (Authority Hacker) * Link builders are more likely to pay for links as they gain more experience. (Authority Hacker) * The average cost of a paid link is $83. (Authority Hacker) * In-house SEOs pay 75% more for links than niche site owners. (Authority Hacker) * Experienced SEO professionals pay an average of 221% more per link. (Authority Hacker) * Paying for links only yields an extra 2 links per month, compared to those who don’t pay for links. (Authority Hacker) * Paying for links increases link building budgets by an average of 42.85%. (Authority Hacker)

Types of Links* 89.1% of link builders believe nofollow links impact search rankings. (Authority Hacker) * 78.8% of link builders believe plain text mentions have some impact on search rankings. (Authority Hacker) * Exact match anchor text backlinks are no more effective at increasing content rankings than non-exact match anchor text (Ahrefs) * Google is evolving the “nofollow” attribute for backlinks, potentially providing more value to your backlink profile than previously. (Google) * 48% of marketers report on “nofollow” links as part of their process. (Aira)

Link Building Tools* 42.6% of link builders rely on metrics like Domain Rating (DR) and Domain Authority (DA) to measure link building effectiveness. (Authority Hacker) * 51.39% of beginner link builders rely on domain metrics such as DR or DA, while only 28.99% of the most experienced link builds do so. (Authority Hacker) * Research has shown that websites with a higher Domain Rating as measured by Ahrefs, Moz, or Semrush tend to rank higher on the first page of Google. (Backlinko) * 55.5% of link builders use Ahrefs as one of their SEO tools. (Authority Hacker)

Link Quality Statistics* Low relevance, bad neighborhoods, and poor SEO metrics are the top three red flags for link builders when deciding on link quality. (Authority Hacker) * Only 5.2% of link builders consider the presence of the “Write for us” page a major red flag. (Authority Hacker)

Link Building Trends* A majority of SEO professionals, 61.7%, report that link building is getting more expensive. (Authority Hacker) * 52.7% of SEOs report link building is taking more time than before. (Authority Hacker) * 65.2% of SEOs think that links will have the same or higher impact on rankings in 5 years time. (Authority Hacker) * Only 1.2% of SEOs think that links will have no impact in 5 years’ time. (Authority Hacker) * 80% of SEOs believe that links will still be a ranking factor in 10 years’ time. (Authority Hacker)

What These Link Building Statistics Mean?Here are my top four takeaways from analyzing hundreds of link building statistics and numbers.

Take 1: Links Are Still ValuableGoogle’s updated Link Spam Guidelines warn SEOs off using a wide array of link building tactics. Many long-considered white hat link building tactics, such as guest porting and digital PR, could easily fit under these arbitrary definitions.

Yet the latest stats indicate that SEOs continue to see a difference between what Google says and what they do. 28% of SEO budgets go towards link building, meaning that a lot of money back up the belief that links are still incredibly effective.

SEOs still firmly believe in the power of links, because over 78% of them see a positive impact and ROI from their link building activities.

My interpretation of this is that Google’s algorithm still heavily relies on links to determine who ranks at the top. Their real goal is to show the best results at the top. If they rely too much on links, which can be manipulated, it messes with their ability to show users the best results.

This, I believe, is why they go to such efforts to dissuade sites from building lots of links.

Take 2: The Best TacticsAlmost two thirds of link builders today use Guest Posting. That is a full 8 years after Google’s Matt Cutts declared that Guest Posting was dead in 2014.

Our experience has been that there are a lot of so-called Guest Post Farms these days. We don’t believe that most of these links have any positive effect on SEO. Some SEOs still value links from these sites because they have high DR or DA.

Google used to hand out unnatural link penalty notices for getting too many bad links. These seem to happen a lot less these days. Instead, Google is simply ignoring many of these links.

As SEOs increasingly move beyond basic guest posts, more difficult tactics like Digital PR promise higher value links. Yet SEOs tend to shy away from Digital PR, despite experienced SEOs rating it as highly effective.

Platforms like HARO and Qwoted has also seen explosive growth in recent years. This isn’t necessarily a good thing the SEO ‘race to the bottom’ effect means that spammy answers seeking links clog us these platforms. While they are still effective, it’s now best to use them as part of a diversified array of link building tactics.

Some SEOs don’t even bother with active link building in less competitive niches. Instead, they produce a lot of content and rely on the natural / passive links that this content acquires over time. The problem is that this tactic will not work in more competitive spaces where everyone invests a lot in link building.

Still, with almost 90% of marketers creating content with the intention of acquiring links, this is a core tactic when supplemented with active link building. A Backlinko study found that long form content gets 77.2% more links than shorter content. This may be why we’ve seen a definite trend in recent years towards longer and longer content in competitive spaces.

Take 3: Experience countsOur recent link building survey found that the most experienced link builders built 25 links per month, on average. The lease experienced link building, however, only built 7 per month.

While this wasn’t surprising, what was surprising was that the cost per link worked out significantly cheaper, when these stats were cross-referenced with link builder salaries.

For most businesses, it works out cheaper to hire experienced link builders. It also makes practical sense, since 41% of SEOs see link building as the most difficult part of SEO.

Another interesting trend is how success gets measured. Experienced link builders look beyond the DR or DA of a link and instead measure success by looking at traffic or rankings.

With the easy link building tactics becoming saturated, experience will count even more in the future. Skilled, experienced link builders will be required to get the best links.

Take 4: The Future of Link BuildingIn our 2023 SEO Predictions Podcast, we talked about Google devaluing and ignoring lower quality guest post links. Our view is that SEOs don’t yet realize that some of the links they are building are doing nothing.

Google’s John Mueller recently said:

Over time, the weight on the links at some point will drop off a little bit as we can figure out a little bit better how the content fits in within the context of the whole web.

There are two ways to look at this.

The first way is that Google is saying links will become less valuable over time. The statistics among link builders do not align with this, as almost two thirds believe links will have the same or higher value in 5 years time.

The other way to look at this though is that Google is freely admitting that links currently do have a high weighting in the algorithm.

Final ThoughtsLooking at reliable link building statistics to gauge the sentiment of the industry is really important. The Google algorithm is weighted differently from how Google would like you to think it is.

Links matter a lot. And they will continue to matter, at least for a while.

View Details

Google recently came on record saying that links may be less important in the future than they are today. And while this is an interesting point for futurologists, it’s also an admission that links still play a MAJOR role when it comes to your site ranking on top of the #1 search engine today. In ... Read more

View Details

So, you want to know how to make money with the Amazon Associates affiliate program? Well, listen up. I’ve been making money with the Amazon affiliate program since 2008. In that time, I’ve made over $1,239,861 from it. I’ve built dozens of sites which made money in this way — like this one below, which ... Read more

View Details

There are lots of scenarios in which you might want to estimate how much traffic a website generates. You might be: Investigating a niche for a new business opportunity Planning to buy a website Doing keyword research Building backlinks We can get those estimates from the vast majority of SEO tools. But the thing is, ... Read more

View Details

PROS The drag and drop editor Easy to use A/B testing functionality The extra features built for marketers – signup segue, asset delivery & smart links The price CONS The reporting is very slow and buggy Some of the templates aren’t very well designed The UI is quite clunky in certain areas You hear it ... Read more

View Details

Every time I hang out on SEO Facebook groups or blogs and see someone ask about the best link building techniques, it’s ALWAYS the same. You get thrown a list of tactics that kind of work sometimes. You get NO details on how this actually works in real life and that’s it. Figure it out. ... Read more

Mark Webster – AuthorityHacker: Recent Episodes

None