Upwork’s In-Demand Skills 2026: Demand for Top AI Skills More Than Doubles as AI Is Embedded Into Everyday Work

Upwork (NASDAQ: UPWK) released its 2026 In-Demand Skills report showing AI-enabled skill demand more than doubled year-over-year while human expertise stayed strong.

Rhea-AI Summary

Upwork (NASDAQ: UPWK) released its 2026 In-Demand Skills report showing AI-enabled skill demand more than doubled year-over-year while human expertise stayed strong.

Key figures: AI-referenced skills grew 109%; AI video generation/editing +329%; AI integration +178%; AI data annotation +154%; AI chatbot development +71%. Report covers 1/1/2025–12/31/2025 U.S. hiring on the Upwork Marketplace.

Positive

• AI-referenced skills growth of 109% year-over-year
• AI video generation & editing demand up 329%
• AI integration demand up 178%
• AI data annotation & labeling demand up 154%
• Human skills like full stack development and graphic design remained consistently strong

Negative

• Shift toward specialized, fractional talent: 77% of business leaders report increased need for fractional roles

Argus Feb 4 session

-6.58% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – UPWK

In the Feb 4 session, UPWK declined 6.58%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

The stock moved -6.6% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite upbeat AI dema...

Analysis

The stock moved -6.6% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite upbeat AI demand data would fit a pattern of mixed responses to AI news, where prior events averaged only 0.21% moves and sometimes sold off. The stock already traded 20.1% below its 52-week high before this release, with elevated volume and recent insider net selling in the background. Investors may also weigh broader macro or competitive factors that are not addressed by the skills report itself.

Key Figures

AI skills growth: 109% YoY AI video gen & editing: +329% AI integration demand: +178% +5 more

AI skills growth

109% YoY

Skills explicitly referencing AI on Upwork Marketplace, 2025 vs 2024

AI video gen & editing

+329%

Demand growth for AI video generation and editing skills YoY

AI integration demand

+178%

Demand growth for AI integration skills YoY

AI data annotation

+154%

Demand growth for AI data annotation & labeling skills YoY

AI chatbot development

+71%

Demand growth for AI chatbot development skills YoY

Human+Agent boost

up to 70%

Increase in project completion from human-AI collaboration vs agents alone

Q3 2025 revenue

$201.7M

Up from $193.8M in Q3 2024 per 10-Q

Q3 2025 net income

$29.3M

Up from $27.8M in prior-year quarter per 10-Q

Previous AI Reports

5 past events · Latest: Nov 19

Same Type 5 events

1. Nov 19

   Conference participation

   24h Move

   +6.3%

   Announced CFO fireside chat at UBS Global Technology and AI Conference.

2. Nov 13

   AI research update

   24h Move

   +0.1%

   Released Human+Agent Productivity Index showing up to 70% better completion.

3. Nov 12

   AI hub expansion

   24h Move

   -5.1%

   Announced Lisbon operational hub to scale AI innovation and technical hiring.

4. Oct 29

   SMB AI research

   24h Move

   -2.8%

   Published SMB research on AI-driven growth and new Business Plus AI tools.

5. Oct 02

   Monthly AI report

   24h Move

   +2.5%

   Monthly hiring report on demand for human-centric skills to combat AI workslop.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

ai integration, ai data annotation & labeling, ai chatbot development, generative ai modeling, +1 more

5 terms

ai integration technical

"Growth is showing up across workflows, from AI video generation and editing (+329%) and AI integration (+178%)"

The adoption of artificial intelligence tools and systems into a company’s products, services, or internal operations to automate tasks, analyze data, or improve decision-making. For investors, AI integration can change a business’s cost structure, speed, and competitive edge—like adding a faster, smarter engine to a car—potentially boosting revenue or efficiency but also introducing execution, data, and regulatory risks that can affect future profits.

ai data annotation & labeling technical

"to AI data annotation and labeling (+154%) and AI chatbot development (+71%)"

AI data annotation and labeling involves adding clear, descriptive tags or markings to data—such as images, text, or videos—to help artificial intelligence systems understand and interpret that information. This process is crucial because it trains AI models to recognize patterns and make accurate decisions, which can impact the development of technologies like voice assistants, image recognition, and predictive analytics. For investors, understanding this process highlights how data quality influences the effectiveness and reliability of AI-powered tools and services.

ai chatbot development technical

"to AI data annotation and labeling (+154%) and AI chatbot development (+71%)"

Creating an AI chatbot means designing and building a software system that can understand user messages and respond in a helpful, human-like way using machine learning and large datasets. Investors care because successful development can lower customer service costs, create new products or revenue streams, and boost user engagement — like putting a smart automated employee on the payroll that can scale without proportional increases in staffing.

generative ai modeling technical

"Generative AI Modeling (+21%)"

Generative AI modeling involves creating computer systems that can produce new content, such as text, images, or music, that resembles human-made work. It works by learning patterns from large amounts of existing data and then generating original outputs based on that understanding. For investors, this technology can drive innovations across industries, enabling new products and services, and potentially influencing the value and growth prospects of companies involved in AI development.

knowledge representation technical

"AI Data Annotation & Labeling (+154%)Knowledge Representation (+31%)Generative AI Modeling (+21%)"

Knowledge representation is the way facts, rules and relationships about a business, product or market are organized so computers and people can use them to draw conclusions. Think of it as a well-labeled library catalog or a recipe card: it turns scattered data into a clear structure that makes searching, comparing and automated analysis faster and more reliable. For investors, good knowledge representation improves the accuracy of models, speeds up due diligence and reduces the risk of missing important signals.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Hiring data shows AI becoming part of everyday work, while demand for human expertise remains strong

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, today released its annual In-Demand Skills report, finding that as demand for top AI-enabled skills more than doubled year-over-year, hiring for human expertise remains strong across work categories.

Now in its sixth year, the report finds that demand for the most in-demand skills on the Upwork Marketplace has remained consistently strong year over year, even in categories often assumed to be most vulnerable to automation, including coding, creative, marketing, and customer support. At the same time, the top skills explicitly tied to applying AI within existing roles grew 109% year over year. Growth is showing up across workflows, from AI video generation and editing (+329%) and AI integration (+178%), to AI data annotation and labeling (+154%) and AI chatbot development (+71%).

“Our Human+Agent Productivity Index found that human-AI collaboration boosts project completion by up to 70%, even on simple tasks,” said Dr. Teng Liu, economist at Upwork. “That’s exactly what we are seeing in our latest hiring data too: AI isn’t replacing people; it’s sharpening where human expertise matters most, with businesses continuing to invest in creativity, judgment, and problem-solving alongside AI.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Demand for in-demand skills remains stable. The most sought-after skills including full stack development, general virtual assistance, data analytics, and graphic design on the Upwork Marketplace, have remained consistently strong year over year, signaling that even as AI tools expand, businesses continue to hire human talent at scale.
• Growth is concentrated in applying AI within existing work. Skills that explicitly reference AI grew 109% year over year. Demand is surging across familiar creative and technical workflows, including AI video generation and editing (+329%), AI integration (+178%), and AI image generation and editing (+95%), alongside rising need for specialist work like data annotation and labeling (+154%) and AI chatbot development (+71%). Together, this shows businesses are embedding AI into established disciplines while still relying on skilled professionals for domain expertise.
• Human capabilities continue to command a premium. Nearly half of business leaders say they would pay a premium to work with independent talent who are creative and innovative, highlighting the continued importance of human expertise alongside AI fluency.¹
• AI is reshaping the type of talent companies need. 77% of business leaders say AI is increasing their need for specialized, fractional talent rather than traditional full-time roles.²

“What this signals is a redefinition of professional advantage,” said Dr. Gabby Burlacu, senior research manager at Upwork. “Our data shows rapidly growing demand for people who merge technical skill sets with more foundational ones. Professionals who can direct and refine AI outputs to enhance their work will stand out and find success."

Here are the most in-demand skills across a subset of key categories of work on the Upwork Marketplace. Read the full report for a more comprehensive list: http://www.upwork.com/research/in-demand-skills-2026

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills by Category for 2026:

Coding & Web Development

1. AI Integration (+178%)
2. AI Chatbot Development (+71%)
3. Firmware Development (+14%)
   

Customer Service & Admin Support

1. Ecommerce Management (+130%)
2. Medical Virtual Assistance (+44%)
3. Supply Chain & Logistics Project Management (+37%)
   

Data Science & Analytics

1. AI Data Annotation & Labeling (+154%)
2. Knowledge Representation (+31%)
3. Generative AI Modeling (+21%)
   

Design & Creative

1. AI Video Generation & Editing (+329%)
2. AI Image Generation & Editing (+95%)
3. Logo Design (+44%)
   

Sales & Marketing

1. Social Media Strategy (+36%)
2. Display Advertising (+26%)
3. Brand Strategy (+26%)
   

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills by Category for 2026:

Coding & Web Development

1. Full Stack Development
2. Web Design
3. Front-End Development
4. Mobile App Development
5. Back-End Development
6. Ecommerce Website Development
7. UX/UI Design
8. Scripting & Automation
9. Manual Testing
10. CMS Development

Customer Service & Admin Support

1. General Virtual Assistance
2. Data Entry
3. Digital Project Management
4. General Research Services
5. Executive Virtual Assistance
6. Market Research
7. Medical Virtual Assistance
8. Ecommerce Management
9. Other Virtual Assistance
10. Manual Transcription

Data Science & Analytics

1. Data Analytics
2. Data Extraction
3. Machine Learning
4. Data Visualization
5. Data Mining
6. Data Processing
7. Data Engineering
8. AI Data Annotation & Labeling
9. Deep Learning
10. Experimentation & Testing

Design & Creative

1. Graphic Design
2. Video Editing
3. Presentation Design
4. Video Production
5. Image Editing
6. Product & Industrial Design
7. 3D Animation
8. Logo Design
9. Illustration
10. Brand Identity Design

Sales & Marketing

1. Social Media Marketing
2. SEO
3. Sales & Business Development
4. Lead Generation
5. Search Engine Marketing
6. Marketing Strategy
7. Email Marketing
8. Marketing Automation
9. Telemarketing
10. Campaign Management

Methodology
​​Skills data was sourced from the Upwork Marketplace and is based on freelancer earnings across six work categories from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, with demand originating in the United States. To ensure a strong signal of demand, only completed jobs are analyzed. Top skills represent the fastest growing skills within the categories presented, and each skill had a minimum of $100,000 aggregate freelancer earnings in that category during the period. Year-over-year growth was estimated by comparing freelancer earnings in 2025 to freelancer earnings over the same period in 2024. To compare the growth of AI and non-AI skills, skills that explicitly reference AI were grouped together and analyzed for year-over-year growth.

About Upwork Inc.
Upwork Inc.’s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond.

Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at upwork.com and follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at go-lifted.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Contact:
Christine Lee
press@upwork.com

¹ Upwork Research Institute Business Leader Pulse Survey, December 2025.
² Upwork survey of 349 business leaders, conducted October 2025.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How much did demand for AI-related skills grow on Upwork (UPWK) in 2025?

Demand for skills explicitly tied to AI grew 109% year-over-year. According to Upwork, this compares freelancer earnings in 2025 to the same period in 2024 across U.S. demand-completed jobs on the Marketplace.

Which AI skills showed the largest growth on Upwork (UPWK) in 2025?

AI video generation and editing experienced the largest jump at +329% year-over-year. According to Upwork, other fast-growing AI skills include AI integration (+178%) and AI data annotation (+154%).

Does the Upwork (UPWK) report say AI is replacing human workers?

No — the report says AI is augmenting human work and boosting productivity up to 70% on some tasks. According to Upwork, businesses continue hiring human talent for creativity, judgment, and problem-solving alongside AI.

What does the Upwork (UPWK) report say about hiring preferences for full-time vs fractional talent?

77% of business leaders reported increasing need for specialized, fractional talent rather than traditional full-time roles. According to Upwork, AI is reshaping employer demand toward flexible, skill-specific engagements.

Which traditional skills remained in high demand on Upwork (UPWK) despite AI adoption in 2025?

Traditional skills like full stack development, general virtual assistance, data analytics, and graphic design remained consistently strong. According to Upwork, these categories continued to show stable year-over-year demand across the Marketplace.