Say It Louder, Grok
I asked X's artificial-intelligence chatbot some questions about independent contractors. Here's what it sent back.
I spent some time during the holiday weekend playing around with Grok, the chatbot on X that’s powered by generative artificial intelligence.
A few things I learned by asking it to create an avatar based on my feed:
It thinks I’m a passionate advocate for independent contractors
It thinks I’m a supermodel
While I am actually short, blonde and middle-aged with rather thick glasses and my grandmother’s butt, I am absolutely fine with this characterization of me:
More impressive is what happened when I asked Grok to go through my X feed and predict what I might say in congressional testimony. After all, I actually did testify before Congress in 2023 about the independent-contractor policy issue—and my pinned post at the top of my X feed is a video clip of my opening statement at that hearing—so there is definitive evidence of what’s accurate.
With this question, the chatbot nailed the response. That’s good news. It tells me the message I’ve been putting out into the world since 2019 has been clear and consistent, no matter what forum I’m using in my efforts to try and get policymakers to listen.
These were Grok’s predictions for how I might testify, based on my X feed:
Support for Independent Contractors: Given your frequent posts about the freedom and benefits of self-employment, your testimony would likely focus on advocating for policies that support independent contractors. You've expressed strong opposition to legislation like AB5, suggesting you would argue against similar measures at the federal level, emphasizing the importance of allowing individuals the choice to be self-employed. You might use statistics like the 80% approval rate for self-employment to bolster your argument.
Criticism of Government Overreach: Your posts highlight a frustration with government policies that you perceive as attacks on personal and professional freedoms. In testimony, you might critique government actions or proposed legislation that you see as overreaching into the lives of working and middle-class Americans, particularly those who are freelancers or self-employed. This could involve discussing the negative impacts of such policies on livelihoods.
Political Bipartisanship on Freelancer Issues: You've mentioned instances where both center-left and center-right voters at your Thanksgiving table agreed on the detachment of certain policy advocates from reality regarding freelance work. This could translate into a testimony where you call for bipartisan solutions, highlighting that the issue transcends political divides and emphasizing common ground on the need to protect independent work.
Personal Anecdotes and Cultural References: Your posts often use cultural references or personal anecdotes, like your comments on feeling like "Ready Player One" or enjoying a Joe Rogan podcast discussing freelancing. In testimony, you might personalize your argument by sharing how policies directly affect your life or those in your community, making your points more relatable and engaging.
Gratitude and Acknowledgment: Your posts show a pattern of thanking political figures for their support of freelance work, indicating you might use your testimony to acknowledge and encourage those in Congress who have supported or could support independent contractors. This could involve thanking specific legislators or calling for more like-minded individuals to act.
Advocacy for Policy Repeal: Your mention of every win being a step closer to repealing AB5 suggests you would likely advocate for similar policy changes or repeals at the federal level, focusing on the tangible benefits of such actions for the workforce.
I’d say that Grok nailed it.
But you can judge for yourself. Here’s what I actually told Congress in my opening statement during a hearing in April 2023:
Grok Is Smarter than Freelance Busters
One of the things I really appreciated while playing around with Grok is that it also can distinguish between what it means to support independent contractors, and what it means to be anti-union.
Far too often, the freelance-busting brigade thinks these two things are the same—when they most definitely are not.
In fact, many of us who support the freedom to be our own bosses also support the rights of employees who wish to unionize. I, for one, grew up in a union household. My parents were public schoolteachers who both had side hustles. I understood from a young age that different types of work all have value, as well as pros and cons.
It would sure help the independent-contractor policy debate a lot if our opponents were as smart as Grok about this basic fact.
When I asked the chatbot whether I was anti-union based on my X feed, it opened with this: “Based on your X feed, there isn't explicit evidence indicating that you are anti-union. However, some of your posts suggest a strong advocacy for the rights of independent contractors and self-employment, which can sometimes be perceived as opposition to traditional union structures, especially in contexts where unions might advocate for employee status over independent contractor status.”
Grok then proceeded to offer a breakdown based on my X posts:
Support for Self-Employment and Independent Contractors: Your posts show significant support for the freedom to choose self-employment and oppose policies that might threaten or limit this choice. For example, you've expressed gratitude towards politicians who support independent contractor rights, and you've criticized policies or figures that you perceive as attacking these freedoms.
Criticism of Union-Related Policies: You've specifically criticized Democrats for what you perceive as attacks on the livelihoods of independent contractors, suggesting a disconnect between union advocacy and the interests of freelancers or independent workers.
Engagement with Union-Related Discussions: Your interaction with content related to unions, like the unionization efforts at The Young Turks, might suggest an interest in labor issues, but your posts do not explicitly support unionization. Instead, they focus on the rights of individuals to work independently.
Grok ended with: “While these elements might suggest a perspective that could be seen as critical of union efforts, particularly where they conflict with the interests of independent contractors, they do not conclusively label you as anti-union. You appear to be more focused on advocating for the rights and freedoms associated with independent work. If you were engaging directly with union support or criticism in your feed, that would provide clearer evidence, but as it stands, your posts are more about defending a different model of labor rights.”
Damn right.
There is a disconnect right now between union advocacy and the interests of independent contractors, precisely as Grok put it—with far too many union organizers advocating for employee status over independent contractor status, instead of in addition to, which has always been the norm in the United States.
Both ways of earning a living are equally valid choices, and should be equally protected in policymaking.
Grok for the Win
Most of us in the fight against freelance busting have zero problem with ensuring that employees continue to have the freedom to join a union. We just want the government to stop attacking our freedom to hang out a shingle and be our own bosses.
When I asked Grok if it was better to be an independent contractor or a unionized employee, the chatbot replied: “If you value autonomy and variety in your work, being an independent contractor might be more appealing. If stability, benefits, and collective bargaining power are priorities, union employment could be better.”
I would argue with Grok about the stability claim: 61% of freelancers say they make as much as or more than they would for a traditional employer, and 41% of people started a business because they were concerned about their financial stability or wanted to supplement their household income, particularly with side hustles. Personally, I have found my income to be plenty stable for decades now with the base of satisfied, repeat clients that I have worked hard to earn as a freelancer.
But overall, I do agree that being self-employed is appealing to a lot of us who value autonomy. In fact, being able to control how we integrate work into our daily lives comes up again and again and again in independent-contractor surveys and research, across all kinds of professions and demographics.
And policymaking that attacks our freedom to choose self-employment is not just about us. It’s also about all the generations yet to come who deserve the same chance to achieve the American Dream on their own terms.
This cartoon that the talented Lisa Rothstein (a real human!) drew best represents who I am and a big part of what I’m fighting to protect:
It’s also a lot closer to what I really look like, and best reflects the sentiments of the actual U.S. population—62% of whom say they would prefer to be their own boss instead of somebody else’s employee, unionized or not.
Grok knows this too, telling me: “Yes, a significant majority of Americans express a desire to be their own boss. Various studies and surveys over the years have consistently shown this trend.”
It went on to itemize:
A recent Shopify-Gallup Entrepreneurship study from 2024 indicates that 62% of U.S. adults would prefer to be their own boss, while 35% prefer working for someone else. This study highlights that more than six in ten Americans are interested in entrepreneurship, with a willingness to accept financial risks to do so.
Historical data shows similar trends. For instance, in 2018, research by Vistaprint found that 62% of Americans aimed to own their own business, with financial concerns and funding being significant barriers. Another study from around the same time reported that 61% of Americans preferred to be their own boss.
Surveys from different years, like one from 2015 where over 50% of participants expressed a preference for being their own boss, further corroborate this desire for autonomy in work life.
This aspiration isn't just a fleeting interest; it's backed by actions, as seen in the increase in entrepreneurial activity post-COVID, with millions applying for business IDs and a significant number becoming self-employed.
The sentiment is also reflected in posts on X, where discussions around economic booms and self-employment suggest a cultural alignment with the American Dream of entrepreneurship.
Grok concluded: “Overall, the data from various sources over the years affirm that most Americans indeed want to be their own boss, driven by desires for financial independence, flexibility, and the pursuit of personal passions.”
Put another way, according to the AI chatbot, attacks on our freedom to be self-employed are attacks on our shared understanding of the American Dream itself.
Score a big, fat point for humanity on that one.