PwC‘s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, published yesterday, confirms what New Zealand’s insurance sector has been watching in its own hiring patterns: AI is reshaping work rather than simply replacing it. Professionalised roles – demanding more human expertise, judgement and relationship management – are growing twice as fast globally and paying 42% better than democratised ones, where AI absorbs the skilled tasks and leaves less demanding work behind. The top 20% of AI-exposed companies have achieved 163% productivity growth since 2018. The differentiator is using AI for growth, not just efficiency.
