PwC Releases AI Jobs Barometer

PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, based on an analysis of over a billion job advertisements across 27 countries, reveals that AI is creating a 'two-track' global labor market. 'Professionalized' roles, where AI automates routine tasks and emphasizes human expertise, are growing faster in both headcount and wages than 'democratized' roles, where AI makes tasks easier for non-experts. The report highlights that companies most exposed to AI are experiencing faster headcount growth (52% vs 36%) and higher wage growth (24% vs 17%) compared to less AI-exposed companies. 'Super-star companies' in AI-exposed sectors achieved 163% labor productivity gains. The average wage premium for AI skills has risen to 62%, with AI-specific job postings growing almost eight times faster than the overall job market. Entry-level roles exposed to AI are now seven times more likely to require senior-level human-intensive skills like judgment and leadership. Joe Atkinson and Pete Brown of PwC commented on these findings, emphasizing the need for organizations to rethink talent development strategies.