LONDON, UK – Productivity growth nearly quadrupled in industries most exposed to artificial intelligence (AI), rising from 7% (2018-2022) to 27% (2018-2024), according to a major workplace study by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), one of the world’s largest business consulting companies that helps organizations understand economic trends.

PwC released their 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer on June 3, 2025, which tracks how artificial intelligence affects jobs, wages, and workplace productivity across different industries. This annual report examines real job market data to help businesses and workers understand AI’s impact on employment. The researchers analyzed close to one billion job advertisements from six continents alongside thousands of company financial reports to measure how AI changes workplace performance in the real world.

The study used a methodology developed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the organization that oversees global financial stability, to categorize jobs into two types: highly automatable jobs, where AI can perform many of the required tasks, and highly augmentable jobs, where AI helps humans do their work better rather than replacing them. Financial services companies like banks and software publishing businesses showed the highest productivity improvements, with 2024 data showing these AI-heavy industries now generate three times more revenue per employee than industries with minimal AI use.

Workers Earn More in AI-Connected Jobs

The study found that jobs requiring AI skills now offer a 56% wage premium, meaning workers earn 56% more money compared to similar roles that don’t require AI knowledge. This represents a significant increase from just 25% higher pay the previous year, showing that demand for AI-skilled workers is growing rapidly.

Carol Stubbings, who oversees global business strategy at PwC, explained the findings: “This research shows that the power of AI to deliver for businesses is already being realised. As we roll out Agentic AI (AI systems that can complete tasks independently without constant human supervision) at enterprise scale, we are seeing that the right combination of technology and culture can create dramatic new opportunities to reimagine how organisations work and create value.”

Contrary to fears that AI would eliminate jobs, the research shows job numbers are actually growing in virtually every type of AI-exposed occupation, including roles where automation seemed most likely. Job postings requiring AI skills grew 7.5% while overall job postings declined 11.3%, indicating strong demand for workers who can work alongside AI systems.

Skills Change Faster Than Ever Before

The research revealed that employers are changing their skill requirements 66% faster in AI-exposed occupations compared to the previous year, when the rate was 25%. This means workers need to continuously learn new abilities to stay relevant in their careers as AI technology evolves rapidly.

Interestingly, employers are becoming less concerned with formal education credentials. Degree requirements for AI-augmented jobs dropped from 66% to 59% between 2019 and 2024, suggesting that practical AI skills and hands-on experience are becoming more valuable than traditional college degrees for many positions.

Women Face Greater Skills Pressure

The study found an important gender difference: in every country analyzed, more women than men work in AI-exposed roles. This means female workers may face greater pressure to rapidly develop new skills as AI technology changes workplace requirements. The research suggests this could create unequal impacts on career development and job security between genders.

Pete Brown, who leads workforce strategy globally at PwC, emphasized the challenge: “AI’s rapid advance is not just re-shaping industries, but fundamentally altering the workforce and the skills required. Even if companies can pay the premium (extra cost) required to attract talent with AI skills, those skills can quickly become out of date without investment in systems to help the workforce learn continuously.”

What This Means for Future Work

The study recommends that businesses take five key actions: implement AI across their entire organization rather than just in specific departments, treat AI as a way to grow their business rather than just cut costs, prioritize Agentic AI systems that can work independently, help their workforce develop AI skills, and invest in continuous learning programs.

Joe Atkinson, PwC’s Global Chief AI Officer, explained the broader implications: “AI is amplifying and democratizing expertise (making specialized knowledge available to more people), enabling employees to multiply their impact and focus on higher-level responsibilities.” The research indicates that organizations successfully implementing AI see both increased productivity and job creation rather than workforce displacement (job losses).

PwC’s research team analyzed nearly one billion job advertisements and thousands of company financial reports from six continents, examining data from 2018-2024 to track how productivity changed since generative AI (AI that creates new content like ChatGPT) became widely available in 2022.

Key Takeaways

• Industries heavily using AI experienced productivity growth increase from 7% to 27% between 2018-2024, nearly quadrupling since AI became mainstream.
• Workers in jobs requiring AI skills earn 56% more than similar positions without AI requirements, while these jobs continue growing.
• Skill requirements change 66% faster in AI-heavy occupations, requiring workers and companies to invest in continuous learning and development.

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