PwC says artificial intelligence is changing the global labour market in two very different ways, with roles that use the technology well tending to grow faster and pay more, while jobs that are more exposed to automation face weaker prospects.
The consultancy’s latest Global AI Jobs Barometer argues that the strongest job outcomes are not coming from simple replacement of workers, but from environments where AI is used to augment people and where workers have the right training. In those settings, companies appear to be adding value by pairing machine capabilities with human judgment, communication and problem-solving.
PwC said jobs that require AI-related skills are seeing a premium in both pay and productivity. The firm’s findings suggest that employers are rewarding workers who can adapt to new tools and use them to do higher-value work rather than compete directly with the software itself.
The report describes a labour market that is beginning to split into two paths. One path includes roles and industries that are adapting quickly, investing in skills and using AI to speed up tasks or improve decision-making. The other includes jobs that are less prepared for the transition and may see slower growth or greater pressure from automation.
A central message in the barometer is that training and upskilling are closely tied to more positive employment results. PwC found that sectors and occupations with stronger investment in AI capabilities are better positioned to benefit from the technology. That includes work that is redesigned around AI, rather than simply cut back because tasks can be automated.
The report also points to the value of human abilities that AI cannot easily replicate. Communication, leadership, critical thinking and collaboration remain important as companies introduce more advanced tools. PwC says these skills help workers translate AI output into practical business decisions and client-facing work.
While the study does not suggest that layoffs are absent from the AI transition, it indicates that broad displacement is not the dominant pattern across the jobs it examined. Instead, the company argues that the most resilient outcomes come when businesses treat AI as a tool for augmentation and invest in employee development alongside deployment.
PwC’s findings arrive as companies around the world continue to test how generative AI and other automation tools will affect staffing, workflows and operating costs. Employers are under growing pressure to identify which tasks can be automated, which should stay human-led and what skills workers will need next.
The report implies that organizations that move too slowly on reskilling could fall behind, while those that pair AI adoption with workforce development may gain an edge in productivity and talent retention. For workers, the study reinforces the idea that AI exposure alone does not determine career prospects. The bigger factor may be whether employees can build complementary skills and work in roles that evolve with the technology.
PwC frames the current moment as a transition rather than a fixed endpoint. Its message is that AI is already reshaping hiring, pay and job design, but the outcome will depend heavily on how companies respond. In the firm’s view, the winners are likely to be those that use AI to enhance people, not just replace them.