Key facts
- Uniquely human capabilities like judgment, creativity, and leadership are increasingly valued due to AI.
- PwC's report analyzes over one billion job postings globally to assess AI's impact on the labor market.
- AI is creating a "two-speed" jobs market, with "professionalised" roles growing twice as fast as "democratised" roles.
- Salaries in professionalised occupations have increased 42% faster than in democratised roles.
- Companies effectively integrating AI are experiencing higher productivity and hiring growth.
- Jobs requiring AI expertise have seen significant growth and command a substantial wage premium.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the global labor market, leading to an increased demand for uniquely human skills such as judgment, creativity, and leadership, according to PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer. The report, which analyzed over one billion job postings across six continents, suggests AI is creating a "two-speed" jobs market.
One category, termed "professionalised" roles, includes jobs where AI handles routine tasks but still requires significant human expertise and judgment, such as radiologists and recruiters. These roles have seen job growth at twice the rate of "democratised" roles, where AI makes it easier for less experienced workers to perform tasks, like IT service managers or medical secretaries. Consequently, salaries in professionalised occupations have risen 42% faster.
The findings align with other research, such as the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, which anticipates significant changes in workers' core skills by 2030, emphasizing analytical thinking and creative problem-solving. PwC's report argues that companies effectively leveraging AI are outperforming in productivity and hiring, using the technology to amplify human capabilities and drive innovation.
Companies with the highest exposure to AI have demonstrated substantially higher labor productivity growth and headcount growth compared to those with less exposure. This challenges concerns about AI leading to widespread job cuts. Furthermore, jobs requiring specific AI expertise have seen rapid growth since 2019, commanding a significant wage premium, particularly in sectors like consumer markets.
The impact of AI is also evident at the entry-level. Analysis of US entry-level jobs shows that positions most exposed to AI are increasingly requiring skills traditionally associated with senior staff, such as leadership and creativity. This trend has led to increased demand for these roles, while vacancies for other entry-level positions have declined, potentially raising questions about how younger workers will gain experience.