Nearly one-third of expert network consultations involve participants who weren't actually qualified for the call, according to the first large-scale survey of the professionals who provide expertise to investment firms and corporate clients paying $1,000-1,500 per consultation.
The study of 1,368 expert network participants, released today as "The State of the Expert Economy 2025," exposes systemic quality control failures, widespread dissatisfaction with AI moderation, and a compensation structure where experts receive as little as 15% of what clients pay.
Key findings include:
- 31% of experts have completed calls they weren't qualified for, raising questions about vetting processes in an industry charging premium rates for specialised knowledge
- 71% receive project invitations that don't match their expertise, with 32% reporting frequent mismatches
- 81% of experts who tried AI-moderated consultations found meaningful deficiencies compared to human moderation, including poor follow-up questions and inability to understand context
- 65% of experts earn less than $400 per call whilst clients pay $1,000-1,500, with the most common pay range just $100-199
- 82% believe fair compensation should be $500+ per hour, yet only 18% actually earn that amount
