It’s that time again — we’re here to recap the most interesting multihyphenate- and polywork-centric topics for your viewing (or sometimes, listening) pleasure.

This month, we looked at the data behind side hustle growth, the purported rise of AI automation within our work, and why a robot could be your next best brand consultant.

So throw on your favorite bucket hat, kick those feet up, and enjoy this month’s latest installment of Polywork Reads.

The economic forces behind a growth in side hustles

Nearly 40% of adults in the U.S. have a side hustle, according to a recent survey by Bankrate.

Digging into the data a bit more, the drivers of side hustles may expose a more complicated trend among the ways we work. While many side hustles can focus on turning passions into income, analysts say, this data points to a sign of the times — more people attempting to keep up with the rising costs associated with inflation.

“Side hustles have become more common, but like so many things in this inflationary environment, people are working harder but not necessarily getting ahead. Side hustlers are much more likely to view this extra income as essential, rather than a passion project or a way to get ahead financially,” Ted Rossman of Bankrate says.

Source: Bankrate

AI to replace half of our work activities by…2045?!

Watch out criminally low-paid interns – it's estimated that we're about two decades away from half of our day-to-day work tasks being assumed by AI automation, according to McKinsey.

The consulting firm's June report, The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier, outlines the areas that will be most impacted by the growth in AI automation, including sales and marketing, customer operations, and software development.

McKinsey paints a (mostly) rosy picture of the future of AI as a means to automate a portion of our work activities, freeing up workers to focus on mission-critical endeavors.

“Our updated adoption scenarios, including technology development, economic feasibility, and diffusion timelines, lead to estimates that half of today’s work activities could be automated between 2030 and 2060, with a midpoint in 2045, or roughly a decade earlier than in our previous estimates,” the report states.

Source: McKinsey

How to use ChatGPT as your personal branding consultant

It's time to add “brand consultant” to the ever-growing use cases of ChatGPT. Forbes contributor Jodie Cook makes the case to use the popular AI tool to answer several critical personal branding questions.

“You might not need to jump on a call with a personal branding specialist. You may be able to utilize ChatGPT to get the answers you need. With these 7 clever prompts, you can get clear on your mission, vision and values and be ready to get famous for the sake of your business,” Cook says in the article.

Suggested prompts include tips on how to craft your brand story, the social platforms that would be most advantageous to establish your presence, and the best ways to encourage interactions with audiences.

Source: Forbes

Honorable mentions

• A 30-year-old spent $0 launching a food photography side hustle—now he brings in $134,000 a year (CNBC)

• She Used $10,000 in Savings to Turn Her Side Hustle Into an 8-Figure Brand You've Probably Seen (Entrepreneur)

• How to Make the Most of the Least Productive Season (TIME/Charter)