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- AI is creating a “dual-track” labor market: on one side are “specialized” roles, where AI acts as a capability multiplier for professionals, demanding more human-intensive skills; on the other side are “generalized” roles, where AI enables non-specialists to perform tasks with ease. The former is outpacing the latter in both headcount and salary growth.
- Companies that best leverage AI have seen a 52% increase in employee numbers, compared to just 36% for those with the lowest AI penetration; in terms of salaries, the former grew by 24%, while the latter only saw 17% growth.
- “Superstar enterprises” with the deepest AI adoption achieved a 163% increase in labor productivity, far surpassing other companies.
- Roles requiring specific AI skills are growing at a rate (69%) nearly eight times that of the overall job market (9%), with an average salary premium of 62% for AI skills.
- Prospects for entry-level roles are diverging: analysis of U.S. data shows that among entry-level positions with high AI penetration, the probability of requiring traditional advanced skills such as judgment and leadership is seven times higher than in other entry-level roles. Since 2019, such roles have grown by 35%, while other entry-level positions have declined by 10%.
LONDONJune 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer released today by PwC reveals that AI is rapidly reshaping the skills employers value most: human skills such as judgment, creativity, and leadership are increasingly prized. Meanwhile, companies that are most adept at leveraging AI continue to lead in hiring growth compared to their peers.
This barometer, which analyzed over 1 billion job postings across six continents, also found that AI is steering the global labor market toward a “dual-track” structure. In “specialized” roles, AI automates routine tasks, making human judgment and expertise more critical, and these roles are growing faster than “generalized” ones. In “generalized” roles, AI lowers the barrier to entry, allowing non-specialists to perform tasks with ease.
Job vacancies for “specialized” roles (such as radiologists or recruitment specialists) are growing at twice the rate of “generalized” roles (such as IT service managers or medical secretaries), and salary growth for the former is 42% faster than for the latter.
In entry-level positions, AI appears to be driving demand for junior employees to possess more “advanced” skills. Based on an analysis of 2.4 million U.S. entry-level jobs: entry-level roles with the highest AI penetration are seven times more likely to require traditional advanced “human-intensive” skills such as leadership, creativity, and face-to-face communication, compared to other entry-level positions.
Since 2019, vacancies for such “elevated” entry-level roles have grown by 35%, while other entry-level positions have declined by 10%.
Joe Atkinson, PwC’s Global Chief AI Officer, said:
“Across the global economy, we are beginning to see new divergences emerging between different models of talent and value creation. Companies that are reaping the greatest returns from AI are using it to enhance human expertise, accelerate innovation, and unlock entirely new sources of value. As a result, they are pulling further ahead in productivity and growth compared to those primarily focused on automation.”
AI is fueling a productivity boom — “superstar enterprises” that best leverage AI are pulling far ahead
The report found that the gap between companies with the highest and lowest AI penetration is widening. In 2025, companies in industries with the highest AI penetration saw a 34% increase in productivity compared to 2018, while those with the weakest AI capabilities saw only a 24% increase.
Within this group, a clear “superstar” effect is emerging. Among companies with the highest AI penetration, the top 20% achieved an average labor productivity growth of 163% relative to 2018 — nearly five times the overall growth level of all high-AI-penetration companies.
Perhaps most surprisingly, companies with the highest AI penetration grew their employee headcount faster than those with the lowest: using 2018 as a baseline, the growth rates in 2025 were 52% and 36%, respectively.
Average salary premium for AI skills reaches 62%, and hiring for AI roles outpaces the overall job market
As companies continue to leverage AI to boost productivity, the average salary premium for workers with AI skills has continued to climb — rising from 57% last year to 62% this year.
This salary premium varies by industry: it is as high as 118% in certain sectors like consumer markets, while in government and public sectors it stands at 16%.
Roles requiring specific AI skills (such as prompt engineering or machine learning) have also surged, growing at a rate (69%) nearly eight times that of the overall job market (9%). The number of AI-related roles has nearly doubled compared to 2024, and since 2015, AI role growth has consistently outpaced overall job growth across all positions.
In terms of AI job growth, industries such as technology, media, and telecommunications (11%) and professional services (6%) account for the largest shares, while healthcare accounts for the smallest (less than 1%).
Pete Brown, PwC’s Global Workforce Leader, said:
“The traditional relationship between experience and expertise is changing. AI is eliminating some routine tasks that were once used as training grounds, while also pushing demands for judgment, leadership, and adaptability earlier into careers. Companies that want their employees to thrive in this new environment need to rethink how they develop talent.”