Upwork Inc. announced the launch of the Upwork Claude Connector, a new application integrated into Anthropic's Claude designed to connect businesses with expert talent the moment a project takes shape. The tool aims to bridge the gap between AI-driven project planning and the human expertise required to execute those plans, addressing the growing demand for freelancer hiring tied to AI initiatives.

According to Upwork research, 74% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) plan to increase freelancer hiring in the near term, with much of this growth driven by AI-related projects. The Upwork Claude Connector allows users to describe a project and immediately receive a shortlist of recommended talent from the Upwork Marketplace's pool of more than 18 million professionals across 130 categories of work.

"AI is changing how businesses plan and kick off work. But quality outcomes still depend on human expertise," said Peter Sanborn, chief business officer at Upwork Inc. "Putting Upwork inside Claude closes the gap between where work gets started and the talent that can bring it to life."

The integration enables users to create job posts through the conversation interface and proceed to hire on Upwork, where Uma, Upwork's AI work agent, assists in managing the project to completion. The system supports prompts for various use cases, such as finding data analysts for AI systems or sourcing automation experts for finance teams.

This development follows the April launch of an Upwork app for ChatGPT and is part of the company's strategy to expand access to talent within the tools where ideas originate. All Claude users can connect the Upwork app immediately to utilize the new functionality.

The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, is investigating Upwork Inc. for potential violations of federal securities laws. The investigation centers on whether Upwork issued false or misleading statements or failed to disclose material information to investors. This legal scrutiny arises after the company reported its financial results for Q1 2026 on May 7, 2026.

Upwork disclosed that its active clients have declined and service volume remained flat year-over-year. The company attributed the performance to "accelerated AI adoption," which it stated degraded the volume of client activity on the low end, specifically impacting contracts of $500 and below. Following this announcement, shares of Upwork fell by 16.9% on the next trading day.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors globally and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. Investors who suffered losses in Upwork are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss their rights. Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm can be reached at 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, or by phone at 310-301-3335.

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