Only 51% employees have access to learning resources as AI skills gap widens: PwC

A growing gap in access to skills development is creating a two-speed workforce as artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across organisations, according to PwC's 2026 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey.

The study, based on responses from 49,364 workers across 48 countries and regions, found that only 51% of employees have access to the learning and development resources they need, down from 59% a year earlier. The findings come as workers face rising workloads, economic uncertainty and rapid workplace transformation driven by AI.

The report suggests employees who actively use AI are becoming more confident, ambitious and optimistic, while a large segment of the workforce risks being left behind.

Learning access declines as workplace change intensifies

PwC's research highlights a disconnect between the growing need for new skills and workers' ability to access learning opportunities.

While 61% of employees believe they can develop new skills, only about half say they can access the resources required to do so.

The challenge is particularly visible among what PwC describes as the workforce's "engine room" employees, a group representing 56% of workers whose skills are less scarce and who remain at an earlier stage of AI adoption.

Among this group, only two in five workers report having access to the learning and development support they need.

According to Pete Brown, Global Workforce Leader at PwC, organisations face a growing challenge in ensuring workforce development reaches all employees rather than only those already benefiting from AI.

AI users report stronger confidence and career outlook

The survey found AI adoption continuing to expand across industries and job functions.

Key findings include:

• 64% of workers used AI at work during the past 12 months, up 10 percentage points year-on-year.
• Daily use of generative AI increased from 14% to 22%.
• 59% of employees expect their use of AI tools to increase over the next year.
• Daily AI users report feeling energised and empowered by technology rather than overwhelmed by it.

Employees who use AI every day also reported significantly stronger workplace confidence than infrequent users.

According to the survey:

• 68% of daily AI users feel confident about job security, compared with 57% of infrequent users.
• They are 12 percentage points more likely to seek promotions.
• They are 15 percentage points more likely to trust senior leadership.
• They are 21 percentage points more likely to feel confident about learning new skills.

The findings suggest AI adoption is increasingly linked to perceptions of career growth and workplace opportunity.

Economic pressure remains a major concern

Despite rising AI use, workers continue to face significant financial and workplace pressures.

The survey found only one-third of employees have money left at the end of the month, representing an eight-point decline compared with the previous year.

Economic uncertainty remains a larger concern than automation for many workers.

Among respondents:

• 57% identified economic volatility as a risk to job security.
• 44% cited AI taking over more workplace tasks.
• 29% said they have significantly less bargaining power than three years ago.
• 27% reported burnout or fatigue is limiting their productivity.

Gen Z workers expressed higher levels of concern across many of these measures, according to the survey.

Four distinct workforce groups emerge

To better understand the impact of AI and skills development, PwC segmented workers into four categories:

• Front-runners (14%): Employees with scarce skills and strong AI capabilities.
• AI insurgents (18%): Workers using AI effectively despite having less scarce skills.
• Indispensables (11%): Employees with highly valued skills but lower AI maturity.
• Engine room workers (56%): Employees with less scarce skills and limited AI progression.

The report indicates front-runners are experiencing the greatest benefits from AI and skills development investments.

This group is more likely to be rewarded for learning new skills and challenging established ways of working. They are also 33 percentage points more likely to seek a promotion than the global average.

However, retaining these employees may become increasingly difficult. Nearly 29% of front-runners said they are very or extremely likely to change employers within the next year.

Leaders face growing pressure to close the gap

The findings point to a widening divide between employees who are benefiting from AI adoption and those who are not.

PwC's analysis suggests organisations will need to balance investment in advanced AI capabilities with broader workforce development initiatives. Failure to do so could leave a majority of workers without the skills, confidence and opportunities needed to adapt to changing job requirements.

As AI reshapes work across sectors, the survey indicates the next phase of workforce transformation may depend less on technology adoption itself and more on whether employers can expand access to learning and reskilling opportunities at scale.