A survey by PwC has highlighted a significant increase in demand for AI skills in the UK, even as the global labour market faces challenges. The 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer analysed nearly a billion job ads from six continents, uncovering AI’s effects on jobs, skills, wages, and productivity. Despite a declining number of job listings worldwide in 2024, there remains a robust demand for roles requiring AI expertise.
In the UK, job postings requiring AI skills have consistently increased from 2012 to 2022. While there was a slight decrease in overall AI job listings between 2023 and 2024, the share of AI-specific roles rose significantly. This trend underscores the sustained demand for AI capabilities across various sectors, including information & communication, financial services, and professional services.
The health and social care sector also witnessed a notable increase in demand for AI skills, with job postings growing from 0.5% in 2023 to 1.1% in 2024. These figures indicate that industries highly impacted by AI continue to seek out these skills despite broader market contractions.
The study revealed a negative correlation between higher AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) and slower growth in job postings from 2019 to 2024. Occupations with high AI exposure expanded at a slower pace compared to those less affected by AI. The gap between these groups widened after 2020, with jobs least exposed to AI experiencing a surge in listings.
Interestingly, occupations most influenced by generative AI showed slower job posting growth rates. The report suggests that roles with substantial AI exposure have undergone significant changes in skill requirements from 2019 to 2024, compared to those less exposed.
Degree requirements are decreasing notably for jobs exposed to AI between 2019 and 2024. Positions with high AI exposure saw a decrease from 64% to 56%, while lesser-exposed roles experienced a smaller decline. This trend indicates a shift towards skills-based hiring driven by technological advances, as employers increasingly prioritise relevant skills over formal degrees.
Job postings for augmented positions are growing faster than those for automated roles across UK industries. Public administration and defence, real estate, and education sectors exhibited the highest growth rates above 60%. Meanwhile, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and health and social work are showing steady growth rates between 40-60%, indicating essential human expertise alongside technological influences.
The broader implications of the AI revolution
PwC’s findings suggest that the ongoing AI revolution is rapidly redefining job roles across various industries, including less traditionally exposed areas like agriculture and construction. While AI drives faster skill evolution, which is 66% quicker than other roles, it is associated with moderate job growth rather than declines.
AI’s potential to create new economic activities mirrors electricity’s historical employment impact. Additionally, there’s a noted reduction in reliance on formal degrees for highly automated positions, democratising opportunities for individuals lacking traditional educational credentials.
This shift towards valuing skills over degrees aligns with broader trends of accelerated technological adoption and evolving workforce requirements in an increasingly digital economy.
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