Upwork CEO: Freelancers with AI expertise expected to command higher rates.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 23 2025
0mins
Should l Buy UPWK?
Source: Yahoo Finance
Freelancer Opportunities in AI: Upwork CEO Hayden Brown highlights that freelancers with AI-related skills can earn a 40% premium compared to others, as the demand for AI expertise grows in the labor market.
Impact of AI on Jobs: While automation is affecting low-end jobs, it represents only a small fraction of Upwork's business. The overall trend shows that projects are becoming larger and more complex, requiring human involvement alongside AI technology.
Skills for Success in AI: The fastest-growing category on Upwork is AI apps and integration, with many freelancers quickly upskilling through online courses and hands-on experience to meet market demands.
Market Trends: Companies are significantly increasing their investments in AI, with AI spenders investing three times more than non-AI spenders, indicating a shift towards more complex and higher-value projects.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy UPWK?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on UPWK
Wall Street analysts forecast UPWK stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 11.180
Low
15.00
Averages
22.10
High
27.00
Current: 11.180
Low
15.00
Averages
22.10
High
27.00
About UPWK
Upwork Inc. operates a working marketplace, which connects businesses with independent talent. The Company's independent talent refers to the talent that includes independent professionals and agencies of varying sizes. The Company’s marketplace offerings are designed for clients looking to identify hiring. Its marketplace offerings provide clients with access to independent talent with verified work history and client feedback from the marketplace platform. They also receive perks, such as a verified client badge and highlighted job posts. Upwork Payroll is available to clients when they choose to work with talent that they engage through Upwork as employees. With Upwork Payroll, clients have access to third-party staffing providers to employ talent and meet their talent needs through its work marketplace. It offers two lines of service: managed services and enterprise solutions. Its managed services offer a service-led program management and end-to-end project delivery solution.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Fiverr Faces Challenges but Holds Potential
- Market Outlook: Despite losing substantial market value over the past five years, Fiverr stands to benefit from the expanding gig economy, projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 15.79% through 2035, presenting potential market opportunities for the company.
- Weak Revenue Growth: In 2025, Fiverr's revenue increased by only 10% year-over-year to $430.9 million, significantly lower than its historical growth rates, raising concerns among investors regarding its future revenue potential.
- Declining Active Users: Fiverr ended 2025 with 3.1 million active buyers, a 13.6% year-over-year decline, indicating that while spend per buyer is improving, the loss of users could adversely affect the company's long-term revenue.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Fiverr faces intense competition from larger platforms like Upwork, and freelancers may opt to create their own independent websites to avoid platform fees, challenging Fiverr's market position and network effects.
See More
Fiverr Faces Growth Challenges and Opportunities
- Market Outlook: The global gig economy is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.79% through 2035, and Fiverr, as a well-known platform, could expand its market share and revenue if it effectively capitalizes on this trend.
- Weak Revenue Growth: In 2025, Fiverr's revenue increased by only 10% year-over-year to $430.9 million, significantly lower than its historical growth rates, leading to reduced market expectations for its future performance.
- Declining Active Users: By the end of 2025, Fiverr had 3.1 million active buyers, a 13.6% year-over-year decline, and while spending per buyer has improved, user attrition poses a threat to revenue growth.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Fiverr faces intense competition from larger platforms like Upwork, and the growth of the gig economy may not meet projections, with many freelancers potentially opting to create their own websites to avoid platform fees, which could weaken Fiverr's market position.
See More
Small Cap Stocks Attractive Amid Stagflation Risks
- Stagflation Risks: The U.S. economy faces stagflation risks, with February's Producer Price Index (PPI) rising 3.4% year-over-year and core PPI at 3.9%, intensifying concerns over low growth and high inflation, which has led to increased market volatility.
- Increased Market Volatility: The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) recently reached about 23, indicating rising market uncertainty and heightened investor fear, particularly in the small-cap sector where investors are favoring high-quality stocks with cash returns.
- Small Cap Screening: Bank of America identified small-cap stocks in the top quintile for both value and quality, focusing on companies that have paid dividends or reduced share counts over the past 12 months to mitigate potential stagflation risks.
- Stock Performance: Bread Financial is rated a buy, despite being down 12% from its recent high, it has risen 1.5% this month; Progyny is down 37% but up 2% this week, indicating potential opportunities in small-cap stocks amid market uncertainty.
See More
Alternative Investment Advisors Fully Exits Upwork Stake
- Stake Change: According to a February 24, 2026 SEC filing, Alternative Investment Advisors sold all 161,997 shares of Upwork in Q4, resulting in a $3.01 million decline in the position's quarter-end value, reflecting both stock price movements and the sale itself.
- Asset Allocation Shift: Upwork accounted for 1.4% of the fund's assets under management in the previous quarter, and this complete exit indicates a more conservative strategy in asset allocation, particularly given the fund's dominance in index ETFs.
- Performance vs. Market: Despite Upwork achieving record revenue of $787.8 million and $115.4 million in GAAP net income for 2025, its stock price has fallen 11% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's approximately 16% gain, highlighting market concerns about future growth.
- Client and Growth Challenges: Upwork's active client count decreased by 6% to 785,000, even as gross services volume per active client rose by 7%, indicating challenges in its customer base, with 2026 revenue guidance only at $835 million to $850 million, reflecting modest growth prospects.
See More
Alternative Investment Advisors Fully Exits Upwork Stake
- Complete Exit: Alternative Investment Advisors fully exited its 161,997 shares of Upwork in Q4, resulting in a $3.01 million decline in position value, significantly impacting fund allocation decisions.
- Profitability vs. Stock Performance: Despite Upwork achieving record revenue of $787.8 million and $115.4 million in GAAP net income for 2025, its stock price has fallen 11% over the past year, highlighting the tension between solid profitability and uneven stock performance in platform businesses.
- Client Contraction: Upwork's active client count decreased by 6%, even as gross services volume (GSV) per active client rose by 7%, indicating challenges in client retention while growth prospects remain modest.
- Investor Caution: Before investing in Upwork, investors should weigh its cash generation capabilities against client contraction and mid-single-digit growth, especially in light of Alternative Investment Advisors' exit, which signals a reassessment of risk.
See More
High-Income Workers Extend Job Tenure Amid AI Fears
- Labor Market Confidence Decline: The University of Michigan survey indicates that confidence among high earners in the labor market has plummeted to historic lows since the late 1970s, reflecting fears of rising unemployment rates that may lead to longer job tenures, thereby impacting overall economic dynamism.
- Decreased White-Collar Turnover: ADP reports that turnover rates among traditional white-collar jobs have reached record lows, suggesting that fears of AI job displacement are causing high-income workers to remain in their positions longer, potentially reducing market activity and affecting corporate innovation.
- Complex AI Impact: Federal Reserve officials highlight that while AI may displace certain jobs, it could also create new opportunities, emphasizing the dual role of AI in the future labor market, which may influence policy-making and corporate strategies.
- Strong Employment for High Earners: Despite low confidence among high-income workers, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the unemployment rate in finance is just 2.1%, indicating that the job market for high earners remains robust, potentially supporting economic recovery.
See More
Fiverr Faces Challenges but Holds Potential
- Market Outlook: Despite losing substantial market value over the past five years, Fiverr stands to benefit from the expanding gig economy, projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 15.79% through 2035, presenting potential market opportunities for the company.
- Weak Revenue Growth: In 2025, Fiverr's revenue increased by only 10% year-over-year to $430.9 million, significantly lower than its historical growth rates, raising concerns among investors regarding its future revenue potential.
- Declining Active Users: Fiverr ended 2025 with 3.1 million active buyers, a 13.6% year-over-year decline, indicating that while spend per buyer is improving, the loss of users could adversely affect the company's long-term revenue.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Fiverr faces intense competition from larger platforms like Upwork, and freelancers may opt to create their own independent websites to avoid platform fees, challenging Fiverr's market position and network effects.
See More
Fiverr Faces Growth Challenges and Opportunities
- Market Outlook: The global gig economy is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.79% through 2035, and Fiverr, as a well-known platform, could expand its market share and revenue if it effectively capitalizes on this trend.
- Weak Revenue Growth: In 2025, Fiverr's revenue increased by only 10% year-over-year to $430.9 million, significantly lower than its historical growth rates, leading to reduced market expectations for its future performance.
- Declining Active Users: By the end of 2025, Fiverr had 3.1 million active buyers, a 13.6% year-over-year decline, and while spending per buyer has improved, user attrition poses a threat to revenue growth.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Fiverr faces intense competition from larger platforms like Upwork, and the growth of the gig economy may not meet projections, with many freelancers potentially opting to create their own websites to avoid platform fees, which could weaken Fiverr's market position.
See More
Small Cap Stocks Attractive Amid Stagflation Risks
- Stagflation Risks: The U.S. economy faces stagflation risks, with February's Producer Price Index (PPI) rising 3.4% year-over-year and core PPI at 3.9%, intensifying concerns over low growth and high inflation, which has led to increased market volatility.
- Increased Market Volatility: The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) recently reached about 23, indicating rising market uncertainty and heightened investor fear, particularly in the small-cap sector where investors are favoring high-quality stocks with cash returns.
- Small Cap Screening: Bank of America identified small-cap stocks in the top quintile for both value and quality, focusing on companies that have paid dividends or reduced share counts over the past 12 months to mitigate potential stagflation risks.
- Stock Performance: Bread Financial is rated a buy, despite being down 12% from its recent high, it has risen 1.5% this month; Progyny is down 37% but up 2% this week, indicating potential opportunities in small-cap stocks amid market uncertainty.
See More
Alternative Investment Advisors Fully Exits Upwork Stake
- Stake Change: According to a February 24, 2026 SEC filing, Alternative Investment Advisors sold all 161,997 shares of Upwork in Q4, resulting in a $3.01 million decline in the position's quarter-end value, reflecting both stock price movements and the sale itself.
- Asset Allocation Shift: Upwork accounted for 1.4% of the fund's assets under management in the previous quarter, and this complete exit indicates a more conservative strategy in asset allocation, particularly given the fund's dominance in index ETFs.
- Performance vs. Market: Despite Upwork achieving record revenue of $787.8 million and $115.4 million in GAAP net income for 2025, its stock price has fallen 11% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's approximately 16% gain, highlighting market concerns about future growth.
- Client and Growth Challenges: Upwork's active client count decreased by 6% to 785,000, even as gross services volume per active client rose by 7%, indicating challenges in its customer base, with 2026 revenue guidance only at $835 million to $850 million, reflecting modest growth prospects.
See More
Alternative Investment Advisors Fully Exits Upwork Stake
- Complete Exit: Alternative Investment Advisors fully exited its 161,997 shares of Upwork in Q4, resulting in a $3.01 million decline in position value, significantly impacting fund allocation decisions.
- Profitability vs. Stock Performance: Despite Upwork achieving record revenue of $787.8 million and $115.4 million in GAAP net income for 2025, its stock price has fallen 11% over the past year, highlighting the tension between solid profitability and uneven stock performance in platform businesses.
- Client Contraction: Upwork's active client count decreased by 6%, even as gross services volume (GSV) per active client rose by 7%, indicating challenges in client retention while growth prospects remain modest.
- Investor Caution: Before investing in Upwork, investors should weigh its cash generation capabilities against client contraction and mid-single-digit growth, especially in light of Alternative Investment Advisors' exit, which signals a reassessment of risk.
See More
High-Income Workers Extend Job Tenure Amid AI Fears
- Labor Market Confidence Decline: The University of Michigan survey indicates that confidence among high earners in the labor market has plummeted to historic lows since the late 1970s, reflecting fears of rising unemployment rates that may lead to longer job tenures, thereby impacting overall economic dynamism.
- Decreased White-Collar Turnover: ADP reports that turnover rates among traditional white-collar jobs have reached record lows, suggesting that fears of AI job displacement are causing high-income workers to remain in their positions longer, potentially reducing market activity and affecting corporate innovation.
- Complex AI Impact: Federal Reserve officials highlight that while AI may displace certain jobs, it could also create new opportunities, emphasizing the dual role of AI in the future labor market, which may influence policy-making and corporate strategies.
- Strong Employment for High Earners: Despite low confidence among high-income workers, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the unemployment rate in finance is just 2.1%, indicating that the job market for high earners remains robust, potentially supporting economic recovery.
See More
