SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. knowledge economy is undergoing a massive structural shift, driven by a surge in skilled freelancing and a sharp polarization in how artificial intelligence monetizes. According to Upwork’s second annual Future Workforce Index 2026, which surveyed 2,400 skilled U.S. knowledge workers alongside platform data, 38% of skilled U.S. knowledge workers now … Continue reading Upwork Index 2026: Skilled Freelancing Surges to 38% as AI Creates Rise of the “AI Orchestrator”