PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer reveals that AI is not eliminating jobs—but amplifying them, leading to higher productivity, better wages, and growing employment even in roles once considered highly automatable. Based on nearly a billion job ads from around the world, the report sheds light on how AI is transforming the labor market and redefining workforce dynamics.
Findings from the 2025 AI Jobs Barometer
1. AI Drives Productivity Across Key Industries
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Since 2022, productivity growth in AI-exposed industries like financial services and software publishing has nearly quadrupled—from 7% (2018-2022) to 27% (2018-2024).
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Industries with low AI exposure (e.g., mining, hospitality) saw a decline in productivity growth, from 10% to 9% in the same timeframe.
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In 2024, revenue per employee in AI-exposed sectors is now growing 3x faster than in less exposed industries.
2. Job Growth Persists Across All Occupations
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Job numbers are rising across both automatable and augmentable AI-exposed occupations.
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Occupations with lower AI exposure saw a 65% job growth rate (2019–2024).
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AI-exposed roles still showed robust growth at 38%, defying concerns over job loss.
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Augmented roles—where AI supports human capabilities—are growing faster than automated roles.
3. Wage Premiums in AI-Exposed Roles
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Wages are growing twice as fast in AI-exposed sectors compared to low-exposure sectors.
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Jobs requiring AI skills offer an average 56% wage premium, up from 25% last year.
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Despite an 11.3% drop in total job postings, AI-skilled job listings rose 7.5%, reflecting high demand.
Expert Perspectives on AI’s Workplace Impact
Carol Stubbings, Global CCO, PwC:
“The right mix of tech and culture can unlock dramatic new opportunities to reimagine how businesses create value.”
Joe Atkinson, Global CAIO, PwC:
“AI is amplifying expertise and allowing workers to take on higher-value responsibilities. This is a transformation, not a threat.”
Changing Skill Demands and Workforce Implications
4. Rapid Shift in Required Skills
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Skills sought in AI-exposed roles are evolving 66% faster than before, compared to 25% a year ago.
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Demand for formal degrees is declining significantly in AI-exposed roles:
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For AI-augmented jobs: Degree requirement dropped from 66% to 59%.
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For AI-automated jobs: Dropped from 53% to 44%.
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5. Gender Disparities in AI Exposure
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More women than men are in AI-exposed roles across all countries studied.
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This suggests higher upskilling pressure and potential inequality if reskilling efforts don’t address gender gaps.
Pete Brown, Global Workforce Leader, PwC:
“Employers can’t simply buy talent with AI skills. Without investing in continuous learning, even the best hires fall behind.”
AI is not replacing the workforce—it’s reshaping it, offering new avenues for value creation, productivity, and career advancement. However, it demands rapid adaptation from both employers and employees. The key takeaway? AI isn’t eliminating jobs—it’s evolving them. And with the right investments in skills and learning systems, companies and individuals alike can lead the transformation.
