AI Spurs Productivity Gains, Boosts Wages: PwC

AI enhances worker productivity and value, reports PwC on its 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer. In Mexico, while adoption is in “early stages,” sectoral transformations and exponential growth in demand for AI-exposed roles are already visible, argues the firm.

The key driver behind labor market shifts is the measurable impact of AI on business efficiency. According to PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer, industries with greater AI exposure report employee revenue growth three times higher than those with lower exposure. This figure positions AI not as a source of net job displacement but as an amplifier of human value creation, validating AI investments as engines of profitability.

Global Dynamics

PwC’s report, based on the analysis of nearly 1 billion jobs, outlines how AI is rapidly redefining economic structures. Since the launch of Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, revenue growth in AI-ready industries has quadrupled, leading to tangible returns on investment and reinforcing AI’s business potential.

PwC identifies three critical trends. First, productivity and wages correlate directly with AI exposure. Wages in highly exposed sectors are rising at twice the rate of those in less exposed sectors. Additionally, workers with AI-specific skills, earn a 56% wage premium compared to peers in similar roles without such competencies. This figure increased from 25% the previous year, reflecting the market's growing valuation of AI expertise.

Second, required skills are evolving rapidly. The report indicates the required skills for AI-exposed roles changed 66% faster than in other roles, compelling organizations to invest in continuous workforce development to maintain competitiveness.

Third, the report notes a democratization of access to job opportunities. Fewer postings require university degrees, shifting hiring criteria toward practical skills and demonstrable expertise. PwC reports that all analyzed sectors, including non-tech fields like mining, agriculture, and construction, are increasing their use of AI.

Mexico’s AI Landscape

Although global trends show rapid adoption, Mexico remains in an earlier development stage. From 2021 to 2024, AI-related skill demand in Mexico recorded a 33.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). However, a slowdown in AI-related job postings was observed in 2024. PwC attributes this to a generally weaker labor market. For businesses, this means that competition for AI talent, although temporarily less intense, is grounded in a long-term structural trend.

AI adoption in Mexico is led by the information and communications sector. From 2021, the share of AI-skilled job postings in this sector rose from 2.2% to 3.6% in 2024. This growth stems from the sector’s intrinsic need for innovation, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. It now serves as a model for other industries, showing how AI integration can enhance products, services, and workforce roles.

Nationally, jobs with high AI exposure grew by 88% from 2021 to 2024, reports PwC. Roles specifically linked to Generative AI grew by 84%, indicating that AI is not only optimizing tasks but also generating net new job functions. Demand for AI capabilities is also growing among leadership positions, including CEOs. Business leaders are expected not only to oversee AI-driven teams but also to use AI themselves in innovation, planning, and complex decision-making.

PwC’s tells Mexican companies that AI integration is no longer optional, but a business necessity. Firms that adopt AI effectively can achieve measurable gains in productivity, profitability, and competitiveness, argues the firm.

The global outlook suggests that value creation lies in the synergy between human talent and AI. Although adoption in Mexico is slower, businesses that build internal capabilities, restructure teams, and train leadership in AI use are more likely to lead the next phase of digital economic development, says PwC.