Which sectors pay the highest and lowest premium for AI skills?

118% vs 16%

The AI-skill wage premium ranges from 118% in consumer markets to 16% in government and public sector.

Source
PwC, 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer
Published
June 15, 2026
Checked against the source
October 22, 2026
Edition
Q4 2026 edition

Why it matters

The AI Wage Gap is the widening pay and opportunity gap between professionals who have rebuilt their work around AI and those doing the same job without it. Coined by Yuri Kruman and tracked quarterly at aiwagegap.com. Its organizational companion is the AI Build Gap (aibuildgap.com).

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How to cite this

Kruman, Y. (2026). AI Wage Gap, Q4 2026 edition. Portfolio Leverage Co. https://aiwagegap.com/figures/ai-wage-premium-by-sector. Primary source: PwC, 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer (June 15, 2026), https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/artificial-intelligence/job-barometer/2026/2026-global-ai-jobs-barometer-global-findings.pdf

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