Upwork Monthly Hiring Insights

Key Insights: June 2026

+34%
AI Apps & Integration rose +34% MoM and +33% YoY, signaling stronger demand for AI implementation work.
+13%
ERP and CRM software grew +13% MoM as clients invested in systems that support revenue and customer operations.
+20%
QA Testing grew +20% MoM among SMBs, pointing to increased focus on product quality and executional infrastructure.
Top 10 in-demand AI-enabled skills
1. Python
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2. Video editing
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3. Graphic design
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4. ChatGPT
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5. AI-generated video
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6. Data entry
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7. Virtual admin assistance
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8. Machine learning
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9. Web design
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10. Adobe Photoshop
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‍AI Apps & Integration was the strongest overall growth category in June, rising +34% MoM and +33% YoY. This was the clearest AI-related signal in this month’s data, suggesting clients are moving beyond AI experimentation and hiring for implementation work that embeds AI into products, workflows, and business systems.
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Clients also invested in systems and revenue workflows. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software grew +13% MoM, while Lead Generation & Telemarketing grew +9% MoM. This points to continued investment in the systems and sales activity needed to manage pipelines, customer relationships, and revenue growth.
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Among SMBs, hiring growth was concentrated in executional infrastructure. Quality Assurance (QA) Testing rose +20% MoM and Data Entry & Transcription Services grew +19% MoM, suggesting smaller business clients are still investing in humans to deliver the operational work needed to improve product quality, manage data, and support day-to-day execution.

Search behavior suggests AI creative demand is becoming more task-specific. Clients are no longer just searching broadly for AI-generated content; they are increasingly looking for defined production outputs. In June, among AI creative production skills, searches rose fastest for terms such as “ai ugc video,” “ai animation,” “ai video generation,” and “ai video ads,” while broader searches like “ai image” and “ai content creator” declined. The pattern points to a more mature phase of AI creative adoption, where clients know more precisely what they want AI to help produce.
“Clients are learning what to ask AI talent for. In June, we saw searches shift from broad AI creative terms toward more specific production needs like AI UGC video, AI animation, AI video generation, and AI video ads. That suggests the hiring market is maturing: clients are moving beyond general experimentation and becoming clearer about the outcomes they want AI talent to deliver. 

At the same time, growth in AI Apps & Integration points to a broader shift toward implementation, as businesses hire talent to integrate AI into products, workflows, and systems. And among SMBs, continued demand for QA testing and data entry is a reminder that AI adoption still depends on human execution: validating quality, managing operational detail, and turning new tools into reliable results.”
Jennifer Brett
Managing Director, Upwork Research Institute

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Methodology and Sources

Upwork Marketplace data reflects month-over-month (MoM) changes based on new contract activity in the U.S. from May 1-31, 2026, compared to April 1-30, 2026. Year-over-year (YoY) comparisons reflect changes in new contract activity compared to the same period in the prior year. High-value work is defined as contracts of at least $1,000. For purposes of this analysis, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are defined as businesses with 10 to 499 employees, based on Upwork’s internal client size grouping. Client size data are based on self-reported and/or estimated information and may be subject to revision.  Top skills are identified by how frequently they appear in job posts as a share of total posts, after grouping similar skill names using text embedding-based clustering. Fastest-growing skills are identified by growth in both relative share and contract count. We first measure each skill’s change in share of the overall skill/job-post mix to identify skills becoming more important within the market. We then check whether the underlying contract count also increased month-over-month, so the highlighted skills reflect both rising prominence and absolute demand growth.