2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer: Two futures for jobs in an AI era
PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer: Two futures for jobs in an AI era (June 2026; fielded Job ads data through 2025 (2018/2019 baselines)) found that 62% average wage premium for jobs requiring AI skills, up from 57% last year.
Key findings
- 01Most AI-exposed companies grew headcount 52% vs 36% for least exposed (2018 baseline), with higher wage growth (24% vs 17%).
- 02'Professionalised' roles saw twice the job growth and 42% faster salary growth than roles 'democratised' by AI.
- 03US AI-exposed entry-level roles requiring senior-level skills grew 35% since 2019, while other entry-level roles fell 10%.
By the numbers
62%average wage premium for jobs requiring AI skills, up from 57% last year
163%labour productivity growth since 2018 at the top 20% most AI-exposed companies
35%growth since 2019 in US AI-exposed entry-level roles needing senior-level skills, while other entry-level roles shrank 10%
What it means for you Draft
For executives at $10–100M companies
The evidence so far points to AI changing jobs more than eliminating them, and rewarding people who add judgment on top of AI. For a smaller B2B firm, that suggests hiring and developing for judgment and client skills, and expecting to pay more for staff who use AI well. These are economy-wide correlations, not proof of what AI will do in any one company.
Limitations
Medium trust.Huge job-ad dataset, methodology published; correlational, not causal. PwC sells AI and workforce services.
About the publisher: Sells AI strategy and implementation consulting.
PwC. "2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer: Two futures for jobs in an AI era." June 15, 2026. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2026/pwc-2026-ai-jobs-barometer.html
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