Fiverr Says Small Businesses’ AI Adoption Drives Demand for Skilled Talent

Freelance services marketplace Fiverr saw growing demand for talent with specialized skills during the third quarter, driven in part by small- to medium-sized businesses’ efforts to adopt artificial intelligence, the company said in a third-quarter shareholder letter released Wednesday (Nov. 5).

The company said in the letter that it saw growth in this area during a quarter in which there was continued macro uncertainty, mixed economic signals and job market weakness.

“Within the marketplace, we are clearly seeing the divergence in demand,” the letter said. “High-quality talent with specialized skills continue to outperform, while commoditized skills face pressure.”

Fiverr also saw strong growth in more complex projects, according to a Wednesday earnings release. The trend was reflected in higher spend per buyer. The annual spend per buyer increased 11.7% year over year, from $295 to $330.

The company connects businesses of all sizes with expert freelancers in over 750 categories, according to the release. The projects these freelancers support include software and AI development, digital marketing, finance, business consulting, video animation, music and architecture.

Fiverr founder and CEO Micha Kaufman said in prepared remarks Wednesday for the company’s earnings call that the company is seeing “tremendous growth” in AI-related services.

“As AI is increasingly reshaping how work is delivered and being implemented across industries, demand continues to surge in areas such as AI agents, workflow automation and vibe coding,” Kaufman said in the remarks. “Fiverr freelancers have become the essential partners for SMBs looking to turn AI from potential into performance.”

Kaufman said in the remarks that the company’s Programming & Tech vertical, which includes AI-related services, grew 14% year over year in the third quarter. He added that Fiverr believes that this AI transformation is similar to the earlier digital transformation and that it could provide “a multiyear tailwind for broader tech investment.”

To take advantage of this potential tailwind, Fiverr has been transforming its own business. The company said in September that it was laying off 250 employees across different departments as part of a restructuring plan that aims to make the company AI-focused “from the ground up.”

“To lean into this secular tailwind, we are doubling down on our investments in AI-related categories, from growing specialized talent communities and launching tailored AI solutions to expanding our go-to-market channels through strategic partnerships,” Kaufman said in his prepared remarks.