PwC's huge survey of 50,000 workers says AI is splitting employees into 4 distinct groups

PwC surveyed 50,000 workers globally about their professional "hopes and fears."

Its findings split workers into four distinct groups based on how and how much they're using AI.

This divergence is creating a "two-speed" workforce, said PwC's global workforce leader.

Is AI turning you into a "frontrunner" or are you working in the "engine room?"

A huge survey carried out by consulting giant PwC found that AI is allowing a small group of workers to pull away from the rest of the workforce and dividing employees into four distinct categories.

The Big Four firm published its "2026 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey" on Tuesday. It surveyed almost 50,000 workers across 48 countries and 29 sectors between May and June 2026.

AI use is rising, the survey found. 64% of workers said they had used AI at work in the past 12 months, up 10 percentage points from a year earlier, and the share using generative AI every day rose from 14% to 22%.

But the survey revealed a widening divide in how workers are getting the tools and opportunities to benefit from AI.

Based on the responses, PwC identified a group it called "front-runners," which make up 14% of those surveyed.

The front-runners have in-demand skills and reported getting strong benefits from AI in their work. Just over half the group use generative AI daily , while nearly 80% said they have access to learning and development resources.

Then there's what PwC calls the "engine room" workers — 56% of workers who PwC characterizes as the core of organizations' day-to-day delivery.

Just a small number of these workers say they use generative AI daily, and fewer than 40% say they have access to learning and development resources.

"They're not getting the same access to learning. They're not getting the opportunity to innovate. They are not getting to use AI in a meaningful way," said Peter Brown, PwC's global workforce leader.

PwC's third category is "AI insurgents," who make up around a fifth of staff. Their skills are less in demand than those of front-runners, but they're ambitious in how they use AI.

Finally, there are the "indispensables," who have scarce skills that are highly valued by employers.

The outcome of this divergence showed up in findings on job security, workers' confidence in asking for a promotion, trust in managers, and skills development — all of which were lower for the engine room cohort.

The divergence between the groups is creating a "two-speed" workforce, said Brown.

The survey does not establish the reasons behind workers' experiences, and PwC's worker categories are partly based on respondents' reported experiences with AI and on how in demand they believe their skills are.