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PALO ALTO, Calif. — June 30, 2025 — Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), a leading online work marketplace, has launched its Economic Advisory Council, enlisting some of the world's most prominent economists and researchers from institutions including MIT, Stanford, and Georgetown. The council is charged with guiding Upwork's evolving AI strategy and shaping the future of human-AI workforce dynamics.

The initiative, spearheaded by Upwork CEO Hayden Brown, positions the company at the forefront of responsible AI integration within labor markets. With a self-contained platform that handled over $4 billion in gross services volume (GSV) in 2024, Upwork offers a unique data-rich environment to analyze and anticipate AI-driven changes in how people work.

“Work is being reshaped by AI,” Brown said. “By assembling the best minds at the intersection of economics, technology, and business management, we are building the next frontier of human and AI-powered flexible work.”

Academic Firepower: Council Members Span Elite Institutions

The Council includes:

• Dr. Nicholas Bloom (Stanford University) – A global authority on productivity and workplace dynamics, known for his studies on remote work and management.

• Dr. John Horton (MIT) – Specializes in labor economics and marketplace design, with deep insights into how technology alters labor supply and demand.

• Dr. Kelly Monahan (Upwork Research Institute) – Focuses on workforce transformation and emerging tech adoption, with a human-centric lens on AI.

• Dr. Sendhil Mullainathan (MIT) – An expert in behavioral economics and machine learning applications to social challenges.

• Dr. Dewey Murdick (Georgetown University, CSET) – A leader in AI policy and foresight, analyzing the impact of emerging tech on security and jobs.

• Dr. Andrew Rabinovich (Upwork) – Heads Upwork’s AI initiatives with a background in structured deep learning and multimodal AI.

• Dr. Melissa Valentine (Stanford University) – Researches algorithmic systems and collaborative work, focusing on how organizations integrate AI.

Mandate: Ethical, Evidence-Based AI Evolution

The council will:

• Develop metrics to evaluate AI-driven productivity and economic impact.

• Shape ethical frameworks for AI marketplace design.

• Identify early signals of labor market disruption and transformation.

• Track emerging skill trends and talent dynamics.

• Drive research that bridges academic insight with actionable industry application.

Dr. Monahan underscored the council’s importance:

“Despite the surge in AI research, there’s a critical gap in understanding how it affects labor markets. This council will help translate cutting-edge knowledge into frameworks that expand opportunity and preserve human agency.”

Strategic Positioning in a Transforming Labor Landscape

The formation of the Economic Advisory Council reflects Upwork’s broader strategy to position itself as a pioneer in the AI-workplace nexus. With unmatched visibility into freelancer and business interactions, Upwork is set to act as an early barometer of shifting labor patterns and AI’s role within them.

While the initiative marks a significant step forward, the company also acknowledges the still-nascent nature of AI-labor market research—a space ripe for exploration, innovation, and leadership.

To learn more about the council and its work, visit the Upwork Research Institute.