The PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer analyzed more than half a billion job adverts across 15 countries—together accounting for over 30% of global GDP—to assess how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting jobs, skills, wages and productivity. The report compares developments across industries and markets over the past decade.
Key findings: productivity and demand for AI skills
According to the report, productivity in sectors heavily affected by AI—such as financial services, information and communications, and professional services—has grown nearly fivefold (4.8x). Job adverts requiring AI-specific skills (for example, machine learning) are now seven times higher than in 2012, and adverts calling for AI skills are increasing 3.5 times faster than job adverts overall.
Wage premiums and geographic scope
Among the five largest markets with available wage data (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore), roles demanding AI-specific skills command significant wage premiums. In the United States the average premium is around 25%. By occupation in the US, the report highlights:
- Accountants: 18% wage premium
- Financial analysts: 33% wage premium
- Sales and marketing leaders: 43% wage premium
- Lawyers: 49% wage premium
These figures indicate substantial variation in how AI skills translate into pay across professions and industries.
Sectoral differences and fastest growth areas
The fastest growth in the share of AI-skilled roles appears in knowledge-based sectors. The report finds that financial services have 2.8 times the average share of AI-demanding roles, professional services three times the average, and the information and communications sector five times the average.
Skills, reskilling and executive expectations
Reguly Márta, head of PwC Hungary’s HR advisory team, emphasizes that workers in the most AI-impacted occupations must continually acquire new skills to remain relevant. The PwC analysis shows that in these job adverts the disappearance of old skills and the emergence of new requirements happens 25% faster than in occupations less affected by AI.
PwC’s 27th Global CEO Survey reports that 69% of CEOs expect AI to require new skills from employees, and the survey indicates that 87% of company leaders are already using AI.
Labour market and economic implications
While many questions remain about AI’s long-term effects—such as job security and business viability—the report stresses that AI is producing tangible positive outcomes for workers in affected sectors. Employees with AI-relevant skills are more productive and therefore more valuable, which can raise welfare for individuals and support national economic performance.
The report draws parallels with previous technological revolutions (for example, electrification and the spread of computers) and notes that AI is changing the skill profile needed for success. Organisations and individuals willing to invest in learning and adopting technology stand to gain significant opportunities.
Reguly adds that AI can also help address occupational labour shortages: automating routine steps in customer service or data analysis can free human workers for tasks such as innovation and improving customer experience.
Notes on the dataset
The analysis covers 15 countries; detailed wage data were available for six of those (United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Canada and New Zealand). The report differentiates between knowledge-based sectors and other industries when assessing AI impact.
Conclusion
PwC’s analysis finds that AI adoption is accelerating productivity and delivering wage premiums to workers with AI skills, while also increasing the pace of skill turnover. Realising the benefits widely will require continuous upskilling and organisational adaptation so that workers and firms can capitalise on the opportunities AI presents.
© 2024 PwC
