AI is rapidly reshaping the global labour market into two distinct paths, rewarding human skills such as judgement, creativity, and leadership, according to PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer released today. The report, which analysed over one billion job ads across six continents, reveals that AI is creating a 'two-track' labour market: 'professionalised' roles, where AI acts as a force multiplier for experts, are seeing greater growth in headcount and wages than 'democratised' roles, where AI makes tasks easier for non-experts.
Key Findings on AI's Impact
Companies most able to use AI are experiencing faster headcount growth (52% vs 36%) and higher wage growth (24% vs 17%) compared to the least AI-exposed companies. Jobs requiring specific AI skills are growing nearly eight times faster (69%) than the total jobs market (9%), with the average wage premium for AI skills rising to 62%.
Two-Track Labour Market
Professionalised roles, such as radiologists or recruiters, are seeing twice the growth in available jobs and 42% faster salary growth than democratised roles like IT service managers or medical secretaries. This divergence highlights how AI is amplifying human expertise rather than simply replacing workers.
Entry-Level Skills Shift
Analysis of 2.4 million US entry-level jobs shows that AI-exposed entry-level roles are seven times more likely to require traditionally senior-level skills such as judgement and leadership. These roles grew 35% since 2019, while other entry-level roles declined by 10%.
Productivity Boom and Super-Star Companies
AI is driving a productivity boom, with companies in the most AI-exposed sectors recording 34% productivity growth in 2025 relative to 2018, compared to 24% for the least exposed. The top 20% of AI-exposed companies achieved average labour productivity growth of 163% relative to 2018, nearly five times higher than the overall AI-exposed group.
Joe Atkinson, Global Chief AI Officer at PwC, stated: "Across the global economy, we're beginning to see a new divide emerge between different models for talent and value creation. The companies seeing the greatest returns on AI are using it to amplify human expertise, accelerate innovation and create entirely new sources of value. As a result, they are pulling further ahead on productivity and growth than companies that focus primarily on automation."
Implications for Workers and Businesses
The report underscores that AI is not just automating tasks but reshaping the skills employers value most. Workers with strong human skills are increasingly in demand, while businesses that leverage AI to enhance expertise are outperforming those focused solely on cost reduction. The findings suggest a future where AI and human capabilities combine to drive innovation and economic growth.
