Ten years from now, more than half of the workforce will be dabbling on the independent side. Here's what contractors – and companies – can expect, according to MBO Partners' forecast, "What Will the Independent Workforce Look Like in 2027?"

MBO Partners' predictions explore how automation and AI will create new opportunities; Gen Z will become the most independent generation yet; traditional "retirement" will no longer be the goal; companies will need to attract top talent by being a "client of choice;" and policies will evolve to match the changing nature of work.

"As the tide shifts towards a predominantly independent workforce, we will see changes in legal policy and federal law need to change to keep pace with this fast changing economy," the authors write. "It is our hope that these policies will help unleash the power of the independent workforce – a group that already generates $1.2 trillion dollars in annual revenue for the U.S. economy, further enabling independents to serve as an economic powerhouse that helps keep the nation on a strong economic path for years to come."