PwC 2026 AI Jobs Barometer report on global labor market shifts

The PwC 2026 AI Jobs Barometer, based on an analysis of over one billion job advertisements across six continents, indicates that artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering employer requirements. The report identifies a two-track labor market where 'professionalised' roles, such as radiologists and recruiters, are growing twice as fast and experiencing 42% higher salary growth compared to 'democratised' roles. Companies that effectively integrate AI are expanding their hiring faster than their competitors and achieved 34% productivity growth in 2025 in sectors most exposed to the technology. At the entry level, particularly in the US, AI is increasing the demand for senior-level human skills including leadership and creativity. Data from 2.4 million US entry-level positions show that roles with high AI exposure are seven times more likely to require these soft skills. Openings for these 'seniorised' entry-level roles have increased by 35% since 2019, while other entry-level positions have seen a 10% decline.