Reviewed by Irfan Ahmad.
Upwork said 38% of U.S. skilled knowledge workers now freelance, up from 28% a year earlier, while 58% of full-time employees are considering freelancing, up from 36% the previous year, according to its Future Workforce Index 2026 released on July 14. The findings are based on a survey of 2,400 U.S.-based skilled workers conducted between March and April 2026 and analysis of Upwork Marketplace data.
The report found freelancers performing AI-related work on the Upwork Marketplace earn 34% more per hour than those not incorporating AI into their work. However, not all AI work is becoming more valuable. Generative AI and creative production contract starts rose 90% year over year, while per-contract earnings fell 13%. AI-based execution tasks recorded a 28% decline in earnings over the same period.
The report also highlighted growth in more complex AI-augmented work. AI-augmented professional services increased 72% year over year, with earnings rising 22%, while freelancers performing more complex AI work saw earnings increase 45% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. The report said the data points to the emergence of an "AI orchestrator," describing the role as a worker who combines AI fluency with domain expertise, judgment, workflow design and business impact.
"There is a puzzle in the AI data: adoption is everywhere, but productivity gains are still hard to see," Nick Bloom, a Stanford University economics professor and member of Upwork's Economic Advisory Council, said. "The value is not showing up evenly; it is concentrated in more complex work where people are applying expertise, judgment, and business context on top of AI."
Image: Rodeo Project Management Software - Unsplash
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Upwork said 38% of U.S. skilled knowledge workers now freelance, up from 28% a year earlier, while 58% of full-time employees are considering freelancing, up from 36% the previous year, according to its Future Workforce Index 2026 released on July 14. The findings are based on a survey of 2,400 U.S.-based skilled workers conducted between March and April 2026 and analysis of Upwork Marketplace data.
The report found freelancers performing AI-related work on the Upwork Marketplace earn 34% more per hour than those not incorporating AI into their work. However, not all AI work is becoming more valuable. Generative AI and creative production contract starts rose 90% year over year, while per-contract earnings fell 13%. AI-based execution tasks recorded a 28% decline in earnings over the same period.
The report also highlighted growth in more complex AI-augmented work. AI-augmented professional services increased 72% year over year, with earnings rising 22%, while freelancers performing more complex AI work saw earnings increase 45% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. The report said the data points to the emergence of an "AI orchestrator," describing the role as a worker who combines AI fluency with domain expertise, judgment, workflow design and business impact.
"There is a puzzle in the AI data: adoption is everywhere, but productivity gains are still hard to see," Nick Bloom, a Stanford University economics professor and member of Upwork's Economic Advisory Council, said. "The value is not showing up evenly; it is concentrated in more complex work where people are applying expertise, judgment, and business context on top of AI."
Read next:
• Researchers Find Employees Experience AI Differently, With Some Frequent Users Remaining Concerned About Its Impact
• Four ways to help your teen (and yourself) spend more time away from devices
