AI and tech skills lead 2025 job market trends: Upwork
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — Upwork’s latest report reveals a shift in the freelance marketplace, highlighting a surge in both artificial intelligence expertise and human-centric skills for 2025.
Technical excellence meets human touch
The freelance platform’s data, collected from January 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024, shows growth in specialized AI capabilities.
Skills like generative AI modeling and AI data annotation have experienced growth rates of up to 220% year-over-year, commanding premium rates that exceed traditional AI roles by 22%.
However, personal coaching has emerged as one of the fastest-growing skills in the accounting and consulting category, while career coaching and training development follow closely behind.
Shifting priorities in professional expertise
Kelly Monahan, managing director of the Upwork Research Institute, emphasizes this dual trend: “On one hand, there’s explosive demand for technical expertise in areas like AI. On the other, businesses are investing in coaching and human development to help their teams navigate technological change.”
The report also indicates a shift in hiring practices. Seventy-four percent of executives now consider degrees irrelevant when hiring freelancers, instead prioritizing demonstrated expertise. Moreover, 78% of CEOs report that their top freelancers deliver more value than degree-holding employees.
Key growth areas
In the technical realm, the most in-demand skills span across multiple categories:
- Data Science: Data analytics, machine learning, and data visualization lead the field.
- Development: Full-stack development, front-end development, and web design dominate.
- Creative: Graphic design, video editing, and presentation design remain crucial.
Here are Upwork’s lists of most in-demand skills for 2025:
- Accounting and Consulting
- Accounting
- Bookkeeping
- Recruiting and talent sourcing
- Financial analysis and modelling
- Management consulting
- HR administration
- Tax preparation
- Instructional design
- Business analysis and strategy
- Financial management/CFO
