PwC Report Challenges AI Job Loss Fears: AI Makes Workers More Valuable

New research busts 6 AI myths: Artificial intelligence makes workers 'more valuable, not less'

Artificial intelligence makes people more valuable, according to PwC's 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer report. Despite widespread fears that artificial intelligence could automate jobs and cut employees' wages, AI actually makes people "more valuable, not less," new research by professional services firm PwC found. "What causes people to react in this environment is the speed of the tech innovation," PwC Global Chief AI Officer, Joe Atkinson told CNBC Make It. "The reality is that the tech innovation is moving really, really fast. It's moving at a pace that we've never seen in a tech innovation before." "What the report suggests, actually, is AI is creating jobs," Atkinson said.

New Research Finds That AI Is Creating More Jobs and Higher Pay

In its 2025 AI Jobs Barometer report, PwC said forecasts by skeptics that AI will unleash employment doom have failed to materialize in industries already embracing the tech most. It also noted the initial consequences of AI adoption included higher job creation, increased pay for those new positions, and reduced inequality by allowing people without university degrees to combine their skills with many AI-executed tasks formerly reserved for knowledge workers. "In contrast to worries that AI could cause sharp reductions in the number of jobs available, this year's findings show jobs are growing in virtually every type of AI-exposed occupation, including highly automatable ones," said PwC, global chief AI officer Joe Atkinson in the report. "AI is amplifying and democratizing expertise, enabling employees to multiply their impact, and focus on higher-level responsibilities." Those and other findings in the study may serve to undermine some of the more dire predictions made by AI critics. To create the study, PwC analyzed 800 million job posting and combed through thousands of financial reports of businesses in a variety of sectors. In addition to finding companies that had integrated the tech most reported increased job creation, the consultancy found five other ways AI adoption creates positive effects.

Amid job loss fears due to automation, a shocking new report reveals how AI is actually making workers 'more valuable'

Despite concerns over AI-driven job losses, PwC's 2025 AI Jobs Barometer finds AI is creating jobs and boosting wages worldwide. Productivity in AI-exposed industries has nearly quadrupled since 2022, and wages for workers with AI skills are significantly higher. The study highlights AI's role in enriching jobs by automating mundane tasks and urges businesses to view AI as a growth strategy.As anxiety mounts over artificial intelligence (AI) threatening jobs and wages, a groundbreaking new study by professional services giant PwC turns the narrative on its head. Contrary to fears that AI will lead to widespread layoffs and wage suppression, the research shows that AI is making workers more valuable -- boosting both employment and pay across industries. Joe Atkinson, PwC's Global Chief AI Officer, emphasizes the unprecedented pace of AI advancements. Speaking to CNBC Make It, Atkinson noted, "The tech innovation is moving really, really fast -- faster than anything we've ever seen." Yet, instead of causing disruption through job losses, AI is creating new roles and opportunities. "What the report suggests, actually, is AI is creating jobs," he said. The 2025 AI Jobs Barometer report, analyzing over 800 million job ads worldwide, reveals a surprising trend: jobs and wages are growing in nearly every role where AI can be applied. This includes occupations considered highly automatable, such as customer service and software development. Carol Stubbings, PwC UK's Global Chief Commercial Officer, highlights a crucial challenge -- not the loss of jobs but the evolving skillsets required. "Workers need to be prepared to take the new jobs that AI is creating," she said. The report warns against complacency, urging workforce adaptation as the key to thriving alongside AI. PwC's extensive research debunks six common misconceptions about AI's impact on the labor market. Far from stagnating productivity, industries most exposed to AI have seen productivity growth nearly quadruple since 2022. Contrary to fears of wage suppression, workers with AI skills earn on average 56% more than their peers without those skills -- a significant rise from 25% last year. Even the myth that AI reduces overall job numbers doesn't hold up. Occupations less exposed to AI grew by 65% from 2019 to 2024, while AI-exposed jobs still posted a robust 38% growth. Furthermore, the report finds AI does not worsen inequality; wages and job opportunities are rising in AI-augmented and automatable roles, with employer demand for formal degrees decreasing in these sectors -- potentially widening access. Another surprise: AI is enriching jobs traditionally seen as vulnerable to automation. By automating mundane tasks, AI frees workers to develop more complex, creative skills. Data entry clerks, for example, are evolving into data analysts, increasing their value in the workplace. The report also shows that even jobs highly susceptible to automation are becoming more complex and creative, ultimately enhancing human worth rather than devaluing it. With many countries facing declining working-age populations, the study suggests that moderated job growth in AI-affected fields might be beneficial. AI-driven productivity gains create a multiplier effect, filling workforce gaps and enabling companies to grow more efficiently. Atkinson concludes, "It's a prediction supported by the productivity data we're seeing... It could absolutely and will be a good thing." The report urges companies to rethink AI as more than a cost-cutting tool. Instead, AI should be embraced as a powerful growth engine. Businesses are encouraged to help employees adapt, innovate, and collaborate to create new markets and revenue streams. "It is critical to avoid the trap of low ambition. Instead of limiting our focus to automating yesterday's jobs, let's create the new jobs and industries of the future," the report advocates. Historically, technology has been a wellspring of new jobs -- with two-thirds of today's U.S. jobs nonexistent in 1940. PwC's research suggests AI could ignite a similar wave of innovation, reshaping the workforce for decades to come.