Upwork’s leadership also speaks to the broader future of work they are enabling. “As the AI work tide builds, organizations of all sizes are seeking out more flexible talent models – with partners who integrate cutting-edge AI technology and valued human workers seamlessly and at scale,” Hayden Brown remarked. Upwork clearly aspires to be that partner. At the same time, Brown added, professionals worldwide “want digitally powered ways of working that give them easy access to more autonomy, flexibility and earning power.” By investing in AI, Upwork is catering to both sides of its marketplace: helping clients get work done faster and more efficiently, while empowering freelancers to earn more and learn the latest skills. This vision – where AI is a teammate to humans – permeates Upwork’s strategy and messaging.
How AI is Transforming Freelancing (Upwork’s Playbook)
From matching the right talent to the right job, to speeding up project execution, AI is redefining freelance and gig work processes – and Upwork provides a prime case study. One major impact area is hiring efficiency. Upwork’s AI features have dramatically shortened the time and friction in recruiting independent talent. For example, Upwork’s AI Job Post Generator helps clients craft detailed job descriptions in moments; over 70% of new clients are now opting to use this AI writing tool when creating a job post. This contributes to jobs being posted faster and with clearer scopes, which in turn leads to quicker matches. On the freelancer side, AI Proposal Assistants (like the Proposal Writer introduced with Uma) help freelancers auto-draft tailored proposals, saving them time and improving their win rates. The result: Upwork has observed higher volumes of proposals and bids, improved client conversion, faster time-to-hire, and even higher earnings for freelancers since deploying these AI tools. In fact, freelancers using AI on Upwork earned 44% higher hourly rates in 2024 than those who didn’t work on AI projects, reflecting the premium for AI-related skills and the productivity boost AI tools can lend.
