Workday’s AI Bet: What the Paradox Deal Means for Talent Access
Big News at the Intersection of HR Tech and Talent: Workday Acquires Paradox: A Strategic Leap in Agentic AI for Recruiting. Check out Tony’s full analysis of what this means for the Flexible Talent Future.
Upwork Launches Lifted: Reinvention or Repositioning?
On August 19, 2025, Upwork Inc. unveiled Lifted, a wholly owned subsidiary aimed at servicing enterprise customers with a comprehensive suite of contingent workforce solutions. This signals a strategic shift from selling enterprise offerings within its broader marketplace to segregating them into a dedicated business unit. On one hand, it’s encouraging. They’ve signaled they’re not walking away from enterprise, but rather recognizing the need to package solutions differently. On the other, the move may be more reflective of shareholder optics than mission-aligned transformation. After repeated strategic pivots, one wonders whether this is positioning Lifted as a cleaner, enterprise-ready asset that’s ripe for acquisition, rather than truly doubling down on client-centric innovation.
Upwork Acquires Bubty and Ascen
Today Upwork acquired Bubty, a workforce management platform, and signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ascen, a global compliance and EOR company.