Overview
- PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, released June 15, analysed more than one billion job ads across 27 countries and found AI is splitting work into ‘professionalised’ roles that amplify expert judgement and ‘democratised’ roles made easier for non-experts.
- Jobs requiring specific AI skills have surged about 69% since 2019 and now carry an average wage premium of roughly 62%, with some sectors showing much larger pay gaps.
- The report found entry-level work is being ‘seniorised’: analysis of 2.4 million US junior roles shows AI-exposed entry jobs are seven times more likely than in 2019 to list traditionally senior human skills and ‘seniorised’ entry jobs grew 35% while other entry-level roles fell 10%.
- Companies most exposed to AI are pulling ahead, recording 52% headcount growth since 2018 and the top 20% of AI-exposed firms achieving about 163% labour productivity gains over the period.
- Stakeholders are responding with urgent calls for action such as CHRO-led internal talent pipelines, applied upskilling programmes and redesigned early-career training to close talent gaps in markets like India and to prevent broken career paths.