**AI Creates a Two-Track Global Labour Market, Says PwC**
A recent report by consulting and advisory firm PwC reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming the global labour market, creating a bifurcated landscape characterized by two distinct types of job roles. The report, titled the 2026 AI Jobs Barometer, analyzed over one billion job advertisements across six continents, highlighting the evolving skills that employers now prioritize.
According to the findings, the emergence of AI is leading to the development of "professionalised" and "democratised" roles within the workforce. Professionalised roles, which include positions such as radiologists and recruiters, are increasingly reliant on human judgment and expertise as AI automates routine tasks. Conversely, democratised roles, such as IT service managers and medical secretaries, are becoming more accessible to non-experts due to AI's ability to simplify tasks.
The report indicates that professionalised roles are experiencing significantly higher growth rates, with job availability in these areas increasing at twice the rate of democratised roles. Additionally, salaries in professionalised positions are growing 42 percent faster than those in democratised roles. This trend underscores the increasing value placed on human skills such as creativity, leadership, and critical thinking in an AI-driven job market.
PwC's analysis also highlights that companies that effectively leverage AI are expanding their workforce more rapidly than those that do not. The report notes that headcount growth in AI-exposed companies is projected to reach 53 percent by 2025, compared to just 36 percent for companies with limited AI integration. Furthermore, wage growth in AI-driven firms is anticipated to be 24 percent, in contrast to 17 percent for their less AI-exposed counterparts.
The report identifies a group of "super-star companies" that are particularly adept at utilizing AI, achieving remarkable labour productivity gains of 163 percent since 2018. This productivity surge is nearly five times higher than that of other AI-exposed businesses. Overall, companies operating in sectors most affected by AI are expected to see a 34 percent increase in productivity by 2025, compared to a 24 percent increase for those less engaged with AI technologies.
A noteworthy trend highlighted in the report is the rapid growth of jobs requiring specific AI skills. Positions such as prompt engineers and machine learning specialists are expanding at a rate almost eight times faster than the overall job market. Since 2019, jobs demanding AI expertise have increased by 69 percent, while the total job market has only grown by 8.6 percent during the same period.
As the demand for AI skills rises, so does the wage premium associated with these competencies. Currently, workers with AI skills enjoy an average wage premium of 62 percent, up from 57 percent the previous year. This premium varies across industries, reaching as high as 118 percent in consumer markets, while in government and public sector roles, it stands at 16 percent.
The report also sheds light on entry-level positions, revealing a more complex scenario. Analysis of 2.4 million entry-level job postings in the United States indicates that AI is increasing the demand for senior-level skills among junior workers. Entry-level roles that are most influenced by AI are now seven times more likely to require traditionally senior skills, including leadership and interpersonal communication. Since 2019, job openings for these "seniorised" entry-level roles have grown by 35 percent, while other entry-level positions have seen a decline of 10 percent.
In summary, PwC's report underscores the profound impact of AI on the global labour market, delineating a two-track system that rewards human-centric skills while simultaneously transforming the nature of job roles. As AI continues to evolve, the implications for workforce development and skills training will be significant, necessitating a strategic approach from both employers and employees to adapt to this changing landscape.