Latest news with #JoeAtkinson
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Is AI going to steal your job? Probably not, new study finds
Many people fear their jobs will become obsolete as the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) develops in the workplace. And whilst there's undoubtedly going to be a shift in skills needed for the future of the workforce, new data from PwC's 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer suggests that companies that embrace AI innovation are 'creating more jobs, not less'. 'We looked at nearly a billion job postings across 20 countries, 80 different sector classifications. 'This is a massive pool of data to see whether or not this thing that we all worry about is AI destroying jobs, is happening. And the headline is exactly the opposite,' Joe Atkinson, PwC's Global Chief AI Officer, told Euronews. How is AI affecting the job market? The companies that use AI to increase productivity are seeing a 3 fold increase in their revenue per employee. Generally speaking, when a company is doing well, life for its employees is usually better too. The results of the barometer support this, with employees in AI-exposed industries seeing their salaries growing twice as quickly as elsewhere. 'Those individuals that can augment their skills with AI skills, not only secure their jobs because their jobs will change, they also earn a greater wage. And the wage premium in this year's study was as high as 56 per cent,' Atkinson added. Managing an AI team Most of us wouldn't decline a bigger salary, and that 56 per cent increase is up from 25 per cent last year. So, what do we need to do to optimise this workplace opportunity? 'AI, I always describe it as a practical skill, in addition to a knowledge skill. You have to understand the AI, but you also have to use the AI,' Atkinson told Euronews. 'So the thing that workers can do, I think, is the exact same thing that employers can do, which is get your teams working in AI. Learn it not just by analysis, learn it by doing, and see how these tools apply'. The barometer also suggests accessibility to these sorts of jobs is on track to increase. Degree requirements for jobs in AI-exposed sectors are still high but appear to be falling faster than in other sectors. Managerial roles could also change with the adoption of AI, in particular agentic AI. 'Most of us in five or ten years will be managing many more [AI] agents than we will people,' said Atkinson. 'And that combination of agentic capability and workforce is a skill that, frankly, doesn't even really exist in the workforce today. We're going to have to build that. Employers are going to partner with their people to develop that kind of capability,' he added.
Economic Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Is your college degree becoming obsolete with AI's rise? Experts say there is a smarter way forward
iStock As AI rapidly reshapes the job market, the importance of formal degrees is fading—especially in AI-exposed roles. According to PwC's 2025 AI Jobs Barometer, employers now prioritize current skills over past education. (Representational image: iStock) A college degree, long considered the golden ticket to employment, is now losing its luster—especially in jobs most exposed to artificial intelligence. According to PwC's 2025 AI Jobs Barometer, employer demand for formal degrees is on the decline, and nowhere is that trend more pronounced than in AI-driven sectors. As AI systems rapidly empower individuals to master knowledge and execute tasks with lightning speed, the need to prove expertise through traditional education is diminishing. The report, based on the analysis of nearly a billion job listings and thousands of company financial statements worldwide, paints a future where hiring managers care more about what you can do right now than what your diploma says you studied years ago. In fields like finance, software, and data analysis—where AI tools are already ubiquitous—the skills employers seek are evolving 66% faster than in jobs less touched by AI, such as physical therapy. This dramatic shift, up from 25% last year, is not just a trend but a signal that traditional academic qualifications may struggle to keep pace with the breakneck evolution of knowledge. 'The emphasis on skills over degrees in hiring may help democratize opportunity,' the report notes, potentially leveling the playing field for those without the time or money to pursue multi-year university programs. It's not about what you learned then , but what you can do now . Joe Atkinson, PwC's Global Chief AI Officer, believes the future belongs to those who take charge of their learning—especially when it comes to artificial intelligence. In a conversation with CNBC Make It , he emphasized that today's education is no longer confined to lecture halls and textbooks. Anyone with a laptop and internet connection can access AI models, understand prompt engineering, and train themselves in real time. 'The ability individuals have to tap vast amounts of knowledge is amplified in this age of AI,' Atkinson said. He encourages professionals to dive into different AI platforms, follow tech updates, and most importantly, use the tools regularly. Practical, applied skills are what separate the AI-literate from the left-behind. Self-learning, he warns, is now 'the new table stakes.' If you're not actively upskilling, you're already trailing behind. Despite this seismic shift, Atkinson isn't ringing the death knell for formal education just yet. He argues that universities still offer something vital: critical thinking, collaboration, and a foundation for higher-order reasoning. 'Formal education is not just about skills acquisition—it's about how you think and interact with the world,' he said. Those qualities, he believes, will only grow more valuable as machines take over more mechanical tasks. Still, to remain competitive in this new world, even degree-holders will need to commit to lifelong learning. The rise of AI demands not just knowledge, but agility —a mindset of constant is your college degree obsolete? Not quite. But if you think it's enough to futureproof your career, think again. The rise of AI is pushing workers to become perpetual learners, fluent in the language of algorithms and tools. In this emerging era, the true measure of your value isn't your credentials—it's your capability. And in this brave new world, those who learn fastest will lead the future.
CNBC
11-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
The rise of artificial intelligence can make college degrees 'out of date': Upskill in AI or fall behind, says expert
Employer demand for formal degrees is declining for all jobs, but more quickly for jobs exposed to artificial intelligence, according to the 2025 AI Jobs Barometer report by professional services firm PwC published last week. "AI helps people rapidly build and command expert knowledge ... which could make formal qualifications less relevant," according to the report which analyzed close to a billion job ads and thousands of company financial reports across six continents. The technology is also creating rapid turnover in the skills and knowledge workers need to succeed, which may mean that formal degrees become "out of date" more quickly, the report added. Notably, the skills that employers look for are changing 66% faster in occupations most exposed to AI, such as financial analyst, compared to those least exposed, such as physical therapist. This is up from the 25% recorded last year, according to PwC's data. "For workers, a greater emphasis on skills over degrees in hiring may help to democratise opportunity, opening doors for those who lack the time or resources to gain formal degrees," the report said. "In AI-exposed fields, what matters is increasingly what people can do today, not what they studied in the past." Today, education isn't limited to formal institutions or universities anymore, as you can learn using AI tools and LLMs (large language models), PwC Global Chief AI Officer Joe Atkinson told CNBC Make It. In order to adapt and futureproof your career in the rapidly changing work landscape, he suggested upskilling on AI at home. "I think the ability individuals will have to tap vast amounts of knowledge is amplified in this age of AI," said Atkinson. This is leading to a new kind of economy where "the bar for everybody goes higher, because the access we all have to knowledge will be greater." "The AI models are developing capabilities at a speed that is incredible ... I think anybody that is not uncomfortable feeling like they are constantly trying to keep up, probably isn't paying attention," he said. He suggested exploring the different AI models, figuring out the differences between them, learning how to prompt LLMs, monitoring tech blogs and practicing using the tools as much as possible. "What's most important is that AI skills are practical skills. They're applied skills ... you have to use the tech," he said. The dedication to self-learning during this era is becoming "the new table stakes. If you're not able to do that, you are going to fall behind so quickly." "The reality is we can't fear the tech. We have to embrace the tech," added Atkinson. But ultimately, formal education isn't only about acquiring knowledge and skills — "it's about the whole person," he said. "It's about how you think and how you interact and how you critique. I think those higher-order capabilities ... become more valuable in the future, not less."
West Australian
09-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
New research busts 6 AI myths: Artificial intelligence makes workers ‘more valuable, not less'
Despite widespread fears that artificial intelligence could automate jobs and cut employees' wages, AI actually makes people 'more valuable, not less', new research by professional services firm PwC has found. 'What causes people to react in this environment is the speed of the tech innovation,' PwC global chief AI officer Joe Atkinson said. 'The reality is that the tech innovation is moving really, really fast. It's moving at a pace that we've never seen in a tech innovation before. 'What the report suggests, actually, is AI is creating jobs.' In fact, both jobs and wages are growing in 'virtually every' AI-exposed occupation — or jobs that have tasks where the technology can be used — including those that are the most automatable, such as customer service workers or software coders, according to the 2025 AI Jobs Barometer report. 'We know that every time we have an industrial revolution, there are more jobs created than lost. The challenge is that the skills workers need for the new jobs can be quite different,' said Carol Stubbings, PwC UK's global chief commercial officer, in the report. 'So the challenge, we believe, is not that there won't be jobs. It's that workers need to be prepared to take them.' The report, which analysed more than 800 million job ads and thousands of company financial reports across six continents, challenged six common myths about AI's impact: Myth: AI has not yet had a significant impact on productivity. However, the report found that since 2022, productivity growth in industries 'best positioned to adopt AI' has nearly quadrupled, while falling slightly in industries 'least exposed' to AI, such as physical therapy. Notably, the industries that are the most exposed to AI, such as software publishing, showed three times higher growth in revenue per employee, according to PwC's data. Myth: AI can have a negative impact on workers' wages and bargaining power. PwC's data showed that the wages of workers with AI skills are on average 56 per cent higher compared to workers without these skills in the same occupation, up from 25 per cent last year. In addition, wages are rising twice as fast in industries that are the most exposed to AI compared to the industries least exposed. Myth: AI may lead to a decrease in job numbers. The report found that while occupations with lower exposure to AI saw strong job growth at 65 per cent between 2019 and 2024, growth remained robust — albeit slower — even in occupations more exposed to the technology (38 per cent). Myth: AI may exacerbate inequalities in opportunities and wages for workers. Contrary to fears that AI will worsen inequality, the report findings show that wages and employment are rising for jobs that are augmentable and automatable by the technology. The report noted that employer demand for formal degrees is declining faster in AI-exposed jobs, creating broader opportunities 'for millions'. Myth: AI may 'deskill' jobs that it automates. The report found that instead, AI can enrich automatable jobs by freeing up employees from tedious tasks to practice more complex skills and decision-making. For example, data entry clerks can evolve into a 'higher value' role such as data analysts, according to PwC. Myth: AI may devalue jobs that it highly automates. The data shows that not only are wages rising for jobs that are highly automatable, but the technology is also reshaping these jobs to become more 'complex and creative', and ultimately, make people more valuable. The study offers another perspective: In a world where many countries have declining working-age populations, softening job growth in AI-exposed occupations could even 'be helpful' and benefit such countries. The productivity boost by AI can actually create a 'multiplier effect' on the available workforce and satisfy the gaps that companies might not have been able to be fill otherwise, as well as growth for businesses, Mr Atkinson said. 'It's a prediction supported already by the productivity data we're seeing,' he added. 'I think it could absolutely and will be a good thing.' Ultimately, the study takes the stance that AI should be treated 'as a growth strategy, not just an efficiency strategy'. Rather than using the technology to cut costs on headcount, companies should help their employees adapt and work together to create new opportunities, claim new markets and revenue streams. 'It is critical to avoid the trap of low ambition. Instead of limiting our focus to automating yesterday's jobs, let's create the new jobs and industries of the future,' the report said. 'AI, if used with imagination, could spark a flowering of new jobs and new business models. For example, two-thirds of jobs in the US today did not exist in 1940, and many of these new jobs were enabled by advances in technology,' the report added. CNBC
BBC News
07-06-2025
- BBC News
'Women are dying while domestic murder reviews plod along'
"There are women dying while these reviews are plodding along."Poppy Devey Waterhouse was 24-years-old when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Joe was described by her family as "a bright button" who loved to travel and who was excited about the next chapter of her instead, this was "cruelly and senselessly cut short", when Atkinson failed to come to terms with the end of their three-year repeatedly stabbed Poppy in a rage at their flat in Leeds in 2018 using a kitchen knife that left her with more than 100 has taken more than five years for a Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) to be completed to find out whether lessons could be learnt from Poppy's has been a process which her mother, Julie Devey, from Frome in Somerset, describes as "excruciating"."You have no idea it's going to be like that," she said."You get the review and you read it and as I turned the pages, I couldn't understand it, it wasn't Poppy's voice, it was his voice, it was all about him." The review into Poppy's death was published by the Home Office in May - more than five years and eight versions said that the final report was "vastly different" to how the first one was written."We are very happy with how its written [now]," she added."He [Atkinson] is represented in it, but it's not 'poor me, poor me'. There are a few recommendations, but they were small things."Atkinson, 25, who admitted Poppy's murder, was jailed in 2019 for a minimum of 15 years and 310 Poppy's death, a DHR was commissioned by Safer Leeds, a safety partnership made up of local organisations including the council, police and health care found Poppy's death was neither predictable or review recommended raising awareness of domestic abuse and delivering a public or education focused campaign on the risks that might be present during the separation of a relationship. This would include recognising what could be considered obsessive, controlling and stalking behaviour. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via BBC Action Line. Every domestic killing or suicide involving people aged 16 and over in England and Wales is subject to a DHR, recently renamed as a domestic abuse-related death review (DARDR).They examine the role of professionals who had contact with the victim or the perpetrator before an attack, but do not issue Office guidance states the reviews, which make recommendations to help prevent other people being killed by partners or family members, should be finished within six BBC research has revealed just 1% of reviews into domestic abuse-related deaths in England and Wales are being completed in the recommended time, with most taking years. But for Julie, it was not only delays that made the review process difficult."There were endless examples of language used [in the report] that took away the responsibility from his decision making," she said."It was arduous, you'd send it back with recommended changes and then it would come back, and you'd have to do it all over again."Poppy needed to be the centre of this review - as her mum I had to represent her."Despite this, Julie - who has also been campaigning for tougher sentences for those who commit domestic murders - believes DHRs are important as it has provided the family with a thorough picture of the last few months before Poppy died."But the length of time they are taking is excruciating," she added."The idea is to find out if the death was preventable or predictable, and to come up with recommendations to save other lives."There are women dying while these are plodding along."A Leeds City Council spokesperson said Safer Leeds has been improving the review processes and expressed its "apologies for the delays in completing this review"."Unfortunately, the process involved does not lend itself to completion within six months with reviews often having to be paused. There are a number of factors that can cause a delay to a report, including coronial or judicial processes and we recognise that this does add to a family's trauma," they said. Julie is one of a number of bereaved families that the BBC has spoken to who have criticised the length of time the reviews Jane Monckton-Smith, a criminologist specialising in domestic homicide at the University of Gloucestershire, said when done properly DHRs can bring about real change."I do think there are ways that we could make them more efficient and perhaps more effective," she said."I'm not sure we need a big panel of people sitting for multiple meetings for every review."Prof Monckton-Smith, who has chaired several reviews, said six months - the recommended time for completion - is "too short" but four or five years is "far too long" for families to wait. Minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, Jess Phillips, said DHRs offer "a really important opportunity" for agencies to improve their safeguarding practices and ultimately prevent these deaths from happening."But we know that more needs to be done to ensure these reviews are effective and timely, which is why we are cracking on with action to improve the way they are undertaken," she government is now creating a new oversight board with publicly appointed members to make the process for reviewing reports faster, she added. Julie said that during conversations with Safer Leeds it has "taken onboard several ideas that we thought would help other families and those writing it". "One simple thing we asked for was that a photo of the victim is always present when the DHR is being completed, so it takes it away from being an administrative task and so the victim is the centre of all the conversations taking place," she said."We also thought there should always be a person on the panel who is from a women's organisation to ensure there is no victim blaming language."Leeds City Council added that every review is now reviewed at draft stage by a senior manager specifically to ensure that it "focuses on the voice and life of the victim and not the perpetrator"."Safer Leeds will continue to work to improve the timeliness of reports, putting bereaved families at the forefront of the review," it added.
