OpenAI, Upwork partner to help companies hire AI specialists

Businesses looking to hire artificial intelligence (AI) specialists knowledgeable in the use of OpenAI technologies will be able to use a newly created partnership between OpenAI and Upwork to find workers.

OpenAI, which released ChatGPT last year and has a partnership with Microsoft, is partnering with Upwork – a firm that connects independent freelancers and professionals with businesses looking to hire them – on a new initiative called OpenAI Experts on Upwork that was announced Monday.

The program was co-designed by the companies to feature workers who have shown proficiency in working with OpenAI’s API platform in addition to the 250 unique AI skills that Upwork features on its platform, such as GPT-4, OpenAI Codex and AI model integration.

The two companies see the partnership as a means of helping companies find talent who can work on many of the common projects for which OpenAI customers are hiring – such as building apps powered by large language models (LLMs), fine-tuning models and developing chatbots while ensuring AI is used responsibly. Clients can use the platform to talk to experts through one-on-one consultations or hire them through project-based contracts.

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"Partnering with a pioneer like OpenAI helps us deliver access to the specialized talent that businesses need to achieve their most ambitious AI initiatives," said Dave Bottoms, general manager and VP of product for Upwork Marketplace. "We are thrilled to offer talented professionals on Upwork even more impactful opportunities, and look forward to connecting OpenAI customers with highly skilled talent through OpenAI Experts on Upwork. Through strategic partnerships like this one, we aim to make Upwork the preeminent destination for AI-related talent and work."

"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," added 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."

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Upwork’s partnership with OpenAI comes as the company has seen a surge in interest from companies looking to hire workers experienced in working with generative AI. In announcing the OpenAI partnership, Upwork reported "over 450% growth in weekly generative AI job posts vs. last year."

As part of the OpenAI Experts on Upwork initiative, the two companies devised a pre-vetting process to identify AI experts who appear as part of the program to ensure that the independent professionals who are featured have the AI skills that companies need.

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"Organizations ranging from small start-ups to some of the world’s largest enterprises are turning to independent experts to create new solutions and expand their businesses," said Boris Spiegl, an independent AI and machine learning expert who is participating in OpenAI Experts on Upwork. "Having delivered millions of dollars in value on projects over the course of my career, I’m greatly looking forward to the next big challenges in partnering with OpenAI customers to deliver even more ROI through application of these exciting new technologies."

The partnership program with OpenAI is part of Upwork’s broader AI Services hub, which serves as a platform for independent professionals working with AI to connect with companies.

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Upwork also recently announced beta features that use OpenAI technologies in what the company calls a "more generative AI-infused end-to-end customer experience on its platform, including an AI-powered job post generator, an enhanced Upwork chat experience and proposal tips for talent."