AI-generated proposals

Upwork's help center treats AI drafting as a feature, not a violation. What it asks for is a person in the loop at the moment of submission.

Where Upwork offers it.

• The proposal form has a Get tips option that uses AI to suggest improvements to a cover letter.
• Uma, Upwork's AI, can help write text for work on Upwork, with limited use on free plans and full access on Freelancer Plus or Agency Plus.
• Upwork's AI preferences article lists AI-generated draft proposals, personalised to your tone and style, among the features for users who share data for training.
• Through the Upwork MCP server, an AI agent can help draft a proposal, and Upwork says "you'll review the proposal details and explicitly confirm the submission". Its ChatGPT app works the same way: proposals are prepared for review before anything is sent, and any action that spends Connects shows the cost first.

Rules that still apply. The proposal remains yours. Upwork requires users to represent their identity, experience and skills accurately, calls spamming clients a Terms of Service violation, and says spamming proposals stays off-limits even with an API key. Sending proposals with a bot outside an approved key falls under the automation policy. Some job posts replace the cover letter with a video interview with Uma.

Disclosure. For client work, Upwork recommends telling clients up front when you use generative AI on their projects and checking they have not prohibited it. It publishes no separate disclosure rule for proposals.

What Upwork does not say. It does not say whether clients can see that a proposal was drafted with AI, or whether that affects ranking.