Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant possibility at Fiverr — it’s already the norm. CEO Micha Kaufman has drawn a clear line: if candidates aren’t actively using AI tools, they won’t make it through the hiring process.

According to Kaufman, simply being open to AI isn’t good enough. If someone hasn’t already integrated it into their work, they’re already behind. In today’s job market, waiting to be trained misses the point. It’s not about knowing what automation is — it’s about using it to work more efficiently. The real competition isn’t the technology itself — it’s the people who use it better than you.

Figure 1. Rapid Tech Adaptation.

Kaufman’s stance isn’t just a soundbite. In a recent internal message to Fiverr’s 775 employees — which later became public — he warned that AI will impact roles in every department, from engineering and finance to support and design. His message was unequivocal: adapt, or risk obsolescence. Figure 1 shows Rapid Tech Adaptation.

“What was once considered ‘easy’ won’t exist anymore. The ‘hard’ will become easy. The ‘impossible’ will become hard,” he wrote on X. “If you’re not exceptional — if you don’t become a master at what you do — you’ll be facing a career change sooner than you think. I’m not trying to scare you. This isn’t just about your job at Fiverr — it’s about your survival in the industry as a whole.”

Kaufman’s comments weren’t meant to alarm, but to offer a sobering reality check. In his view, companies won’t have space for those clinging to outdated workflows. Across the tech industry, change is accelerating — and those who resist may soon be left behind.

Fiverr isn’t alone in this thinking. Klarna’s CEO recently acknowledged that AI could eventually handle nearly all roles — including his own. At Shopify, new hires must prove that a job can’t be done by a machine. Duolingo has reduced its contract workforce, relying more on automation. Meanwhile, Salesforce is using AI to help existing employees transition to new roles, rather than letting them go.

So, who will succeed in this AI-driven era? According to Kaufman, it’s those who take initiative — people looking for ways to offload repetitive tasks to technology [1]. Far from making themselves replaceable, these workers are creating space to focus on what machines can’t do. Automation isn’t a threat if you’re the one driving it.

Staying competitive, Kaufman argues, isn’t about keeping up with tech trends — it’s about mindset. Curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to experiment are now essential. As AI takes over the predictable parts of work, human creativity and critical thinking become even more valuable.

Freelancers, in particular, are leaning into this shift. Unencumbered by traditional structures, they’re diving into new tools and inventing services that didn’t exist just a year ago. Kaufman sees it daily on Fiverr, where early adopters are rapidly shaping new markets.

Fiverr’s latest Business Trends Index supports this shift. Demand for services tied to “AI agents” skyrocketed by over 18,000%, and interest in AI-generated video production jumped more than 17 times. New roles like “vibe coder” and “agent trainer”

For anyone trying to stay relevant, Kaufman’s message is clear: don’t wait. Master the tools. Build with them. Test ideas without waiting for approval. Competence alone is no longer enough.

Today, basic familiarity with AI is just table stakes. What sets people apart is how well they use it. Treat it as optional, and you won’t just fall behind the technology — you’ll fall behind those already using it to work smarter.

Reference

1. https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2025/05/fiverr-pushes-for-ai-mastery-as-job.html

Cite this article:

Keerthana S (2025), Fiverr Urges AI Proficiency as Rapid Tech Adaptation Becomes Key to Job Security, AnaTechMaz, pp.95.