AI reshapes global labour market into two distinct paths, rewarding human skills: PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer
The PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer reveals a two-track labor market where professionalized roles and AI-exposed companies see significantly higher growth in headcount, wages, and productivity
Artificial intelligence is dividing the global labor market into a "two-track" system, according to the PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer. The study distinguishes between "professionalised" roles, where AI acts as a force multiplier for experts and demands more human-intensive skills, and "democratised" roles, where AI makes tasks easier for non-experts to perform. Professionalized roles are currently experiencing greater growth in both headcount and wages compared to democratized ones.[1][2]
The report highlights that companies most capable of utilizing AI are experiencing faster headcount growth, at 52% compared to 36% for the least AI-exposed firms. These highly capable companies are also seeing higher wage growth of 24% versus 17% for their counterparts. Furthermore, "super-star companies" with the highest exposure to AI achieved remarkable labor productivity gains of 163%, significantly outpacing other businesses.[1]
Additionally, jobs requiring specific AI skills are expanding at 69%, which is nearly eight times faster than the overall jobs market growth rate of 9%. The average wage premium for these specialized AI skills has risen to 62%. Meanwhile, an analysis of United States data indicates that the outlook for entry-level positions is beginning to diverge under these new market conditions.[1]
