PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer reports that AI is reshaping the global labour market into two distinct paths, with outcomes varying by how work changes with AI tools. The report describes “professionalised” roles, where AI functions as a force multiplier for skilled specialists. These roles are said to require more human-intensive capabilities, and the barometer finds stronger growth signals in both headcount and wages. By contrast, the barometer describes “democratised” roles, where AI makes the underlying tasks or role itself easier to perform. In these roles, the report indicates comparatively weaker growth outcomes than in professionalised positions.
Across both categories, the barometer emphasizes that the nature of AI adoption affects employment and pay trends, rather than AI creating uniform effects across all jobs. The findings suggest that demand is rising more for roles that combine AI support with deeper human skills, while roles that become more easily performed via automation show less favourable labour-market performance in the report’s analysis. The barometer frames these changes as part of a broader shift in how skills influence job demand as AI spreads.
