Upwork reported a 55% year-over-year increase in gross service volume (GSV) from AI-skilled talent, reaching $112 million in the third quarter. The company is focusing on integrating its marketplace directly into AI tools to facilitate collaboration between human experts and AI agents.
The new Upwork Now feature, launched in public beta, connects AI agents and clients with available freelancers. This follows the August release of the MCP server, which allows users to access the marketplace from platforms like Claude or ChatGPT. According to company data, weekly average users of the MCP server have grown 20 times since its debut.
In a separate move, Upwork’s enterprise subsidiary, Lifted, acquired the Berlin-based employer of record firm WorkMotion. This acquisition expands direct employment options for clients to more than 30 countries and is expected to improve win rates and reduce service costs for the subsidiary.
Financial results for the third quarter show a 10% decline in total GSV to $914.1 million. However, the company noted that GSV per active client rose 8% year over year to $5,418, reflecting a strategic shift toward higher-value work and larger enterprise clients.
