AI Employment Reaches New Heights

PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, which analysed more than one billion job ads across six continents, reveals the scale of AI’s impact on global employment. The number of AI jobs is almost twice as high as 2024, with growth in AI jobs outpacing all jobs since 2015.

Wage Premium Climbs to 62%

The average wage premium for workers with AI skills hit 62%, up from 57% last year. Jobs requiring specific AI skills grew roughly eight times—at 69% growth—as fast as the overall jobs market, which grew at 9%.

Entry-Level Roles Transform Dramatically

Entry-level roles most exposed to AI grew 35% since 2019, while other entry-level roles shrank 10%. More striking: AI-exposed entry-level roles are seven times more likely to require traditionally senior-level skills such as leadership.

Productivity Gains in AI-Exposed Companies

The top 20% of most AI-exposed companies achieved average labour productivity growth of 163% relative to 2018. Companies most able to use AI are seeing faster headcount growth (52%) than the least AI-exposed companies (36%).

Professional Roles See Steeper Growth

Professionalised roles are seeing twice the growth in available jobs and 42% faster salary growth than democratised roles.

Sectoral Disparities

AI job growth is unevenly distributed across sectors. The technology, media and telecommunications sector saw 11% of all AI job growth, professional services saw 6%, while health saw less than 1%.

Source: PwC