Upwork and OpenAI Team to Help Companies Find AI Experts

Work marketplace Upwork is teaming with OpenAI to help businesses find artificial intelligence (AI) expertise.

The partnership, announced Monday (July 31), gives OpenAI customers and other businesses access to professionals “deeply experienced” with OpenAI technologies.

“Together, the companies identified the most common use cases for OpenAI customers — like building applications powered by large language models (LLMs), fine-tuning models and developing chatbots with responsible AI in mind — along with the key skills required for success,” the firms said in a news release.

According to the release, the program — dubbed OpenAI Experts on Upwork — is an offshoot of Upwork’s AI Services hub, which connects companies with skilled independent professionals in AI fields from across the globe.

“Our aim is for our models to be useful and beneficial for everyone, and we are committed to helping people understand how our technology can impact critical work,” said Aliisa Rosenthal, head of sales at OpenAI. “Providing customers with access to a trusted source of highly skilled global talent like Upwork can help ensure AI models are deployed and managed responsibly.”

Earlier this year Upwork CEO Hayden Brown told investors the company would be continuing its focus on AI.

During an earnings call, Brown said that the average weekly number of search queries related to generative AI in the first quarter increased more than 1,000% over the fourth quarter of last year, while the average number of weekly job posts related to generative AI rose more than 600% during the same time frame.

“We’re testing generative AI-powered solutions for transforming core customer experiences,” he said, “like getting started, posting jobs, receiving support, and having questions answered.”

The partnership is happening at a time when — as noted here Monday — generative AI is generating efficiency across a number of sectors, while also sparking concerns from a variety of corners about safety issues.

For example, a recent report from Carnegie Mellon University and the Center for AI Safety showed there are myriad ways to circumvent the safety measures of all the major AI platforms, including Google’s Bard, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude programs.

As PYMNTS wrote, the degree and seriousness of AI’s vulnerabilities could help to guide any government legislation designed to control the new systems.

“For now, as businesses continue to seek ways to drive efficiency and improve their bottom line, AI technology offers a promising solution — and as with any solution, it’s important to be careful and intentional when applying it,” the report concluded.