AI is linked to a fourfold increase in productivity growth and a 56% wage premium, while jobs continue to grow even in the most easily automated roles, according to the PwC 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer

• Global workers see rising wages: AI-skilled workers see an average 56% wage premium in 2024, double the 25% in the previous year
• Confounding expectations, data shows job availability grew 38% in the roles more exposed to AI, albeit below the growth rate in less exposed occupations
• Industries ‘most exposed’ to AI saw 3x higher growth in revenue per employee (27%) compared to those ‘least exposed’ (9%)
• The skills sought by employers are changing 66% faster in jobs ‘most exposed’ to AI

Jakarta, 26 June 2025 – AI is making workers more valuable, productive, and able to command higher wage premiums, with job numbers rising even in roles considered most automatable, according to PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer. The report is based on an analysis of close to a billion job ads from six continents.

The report finds that since GenAI’s proliferation in 2022, globally, productivity growth has nearly quadrupled in industries most exposed to AI (e.g. financial services, software publishing), rising from 7% from 2018-2022 to 27% from 2018-2024. In contrast, the rate of productivity growth in industries least exposed to AI (e.g. mining, hospitality) declined from 10% to 9% over the same period. 

The data shows that the most AI exposed industries are now seeing 3x higher growth in revenue per employee than the least exposed. This research shows that the power of AI to deliver for businesses is already being realised. As Agentic AI begins to scale across enterprises, a new horizon emerges—one where the fusion of cutting-edge technology and adaptive culture unlocks extraordinary possibilities. This is not just evolution; it’s a reimagining of how organisations operate, innovate, and deliver value. The journey has only just begun, and the potential ahead is nothing short of revolutionary.

Subianto, PwC Indonesia Chief Digital and Technology Officer, added, “AI is no longer just for Big Tech. Our report shows that all industries— even those like mining and construction—are increasing their use of AI. These sectors, traditionally driven by human expertise, are now turning to AI to boost efficiency and innovation. This shift is also creating strong demand for talent who can connect technology with business insight.”

Job numbers are rising in virtually every type of AI-exposed occupation, even those highly automatable 

Contrary to some expectations, the data from the report does not show job or wage destruction from AI.

While occupations with lower exposure to AI saw strong job growth (65%) in recent years (2019-2024), growth remained robust even in more exposed occupations (38%). Within more exposed occupations, jobs can be further divided into ‘automated’ (i.e., the job contains some tasks that AI can carry out) and ‘augmented’ (i.e., where AI helps a human do their job better). Across both classifications between 2019-24, job numbers are growing in every industry analysed, although augmented jobs are generally growing faster. 

Subianto, also added, “Our 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer shows that the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector is leading in AI adoption, demand for AI skills, and productivity growth. Although overall job numbers are declining, roles that involve AI continue to grow and are offering higher wages.”

Wages are growing twice as fast in AI-exposed industries 

Wages are growing twice as fast in AI-exposed industries globally, with increases seen in both automatable and augmentable roles.

Jobs which require AI skills also offer a wage premium (over similar roles that don’t require AI skills) in every industry analysed, with the average premium hitting 56%, up from 25% last year. Jobs that require such AI skills also continue to grow faster than all jobs – rising 7.5% from last year, even as total job postings fell 11.3%. 

The skills earthquake accelerates – AI is creating deep change in the skills workers need to succeed 

While the picture on productivity, wages and jobs is broadly positive, the research does highlight the need for workers and businesses to adapt to a much faster pace of change. The skills sought by employers are changing 66% faster in occupations most exposed to AI, up from 25% last year. 

What it takes to succeed in AI-exposed jobs is changing in other ways. Employer demand for formal degrees is declining for all jobs, but especially quickly for AI-exposed jobs. The percentage of jobs AI augments that require a degree fell 7 percentage points between 2019 and 2024, from 66% to 59%, and 9 percentage points (53% to 44%) for jobs AI automates. 

The findings show that AI’s impact on women and men may be unequal – in every country analysed, more women than men are in AI-exposed roles, suggesting the skills pressure facing women will be higher.  

The AI business imperative 

To fully harness the transformative potential of AI and accelerate growth, businesses must act decisively and place AI at the heart of their strategy. A recent report outlines five essential actions: adopt AI for enterprise-wide transformation; approach AI as a driver of growth rather than merely a tool for efficiency; prioritise Agentic AI to unlock deeper capabilities; equip the workforce with the skills needed to maximise AI’s impact; and build trust to fully realise AI’s transformative power.

As a closing, Subianto said, “AI is not taking away the value of work—it is enhancing it. People who can work effectively with AI are becoming even more valuable in today’s workforce. While some industries like ICT may see a shift in workforce needs as AI takes on more routine tasks, this also opens up new opportunities for innovation, upskilling, and more meaningful roles. The growing demand for AI-capable talent reflects a positive transformation in how we work and create value.”