According to PWC’s 2025 Global AI Employment Barometer Report, “rapid skills changes and knowledge conversions may mean that formal degrees are more rapidly obsolete.”
ND3000 | iStock | Getty Images
According to 2025 AI working barometer Report Professional services company PwC published last week.
“AI helps people build and direct expert knowledge quickly…this may reduce relevance for formal qualifications,” the report said. The report analyzed billions of job ads and thousands of company financial reports on six continents.
The report adds that the technology is also rapidly flowing in the knowledge required for skill and knowledge workers to succeed, which could mean that formal degrees are “outdated” faster.
In the field of AI exposure, what matters is what more people can do today, not what they have studied in the past.
PWC’s 2025 AI Work Barometer
It is worth noting that the skills employers look for have changed by 66% of the changes in careers that are most exposed to financial analysts, such as physical therapists. That’s higher than 25% last year, according to PwC.
“For workers, a greater emphasis on the skills to recruit degrees may help democratize opportunities and open the door to those who lack time or resources to get a formal degree,” the report said. “In the field of AI-PACH, what matters is what people can do today, not what they have studied in the past.”
Is the degree outdated?
Today, Joe Atkinson, Global Chief AI Officer at PwC, told CNBC MEATH MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE MATE IT, education is no longer limited to formal institutions or universities because you can learn to use AI tools and LLM (large language models). To adapt and future careers in a rapidly changing work environment, he recommends improving skills on AI at home.
“I think in this era of AI, the ability that individuals have to leverage a lot of knowledge will amplify,” Atkinson said. This leads to a new economy, “Everyone will have higher standards because we all have to know more access.”
The reality is that we cannot be afraid of technology. We have to accept this technology.
Joe Atkinson
Global Chief AI Officer PWC
“The AI model is developing features at incredible speeds … I think any uncomfortable feeling is like they’ve been trying to keep up and probably won’t pay attention,” he said.
He suggests exploring different AI models, figuring out the differences between them, learning how to prompt LLM, monitoring tech blogs and practicing with as many tools as possible.
“The most important thing is that AI skills are practical skills. They are applied skills…you have to use that technology.” In this era, dedication to self-taught is becoming “new table bets. If you can’t do that, you’re going to be behind so quickly.”
“The reality is that we can’t be afraid of technology. We have to embrace technology,” Atkinson added.
But ultimately, formal education requires more than just gaining knowledge and skills, “it’s about the whole person,” he said. “It’s about how you think, how you interact and how you criticize. I think those advanced abilities … become more valuable in the future, not less.”
Want a new career with a higher salary, a more flexible or fulfilling salary? Take CNBC’s new online course How to change careers and be happier at work. Expert lecturers will teach you strategies for successfully communicating, improving your resume and confidently transitioning to your dream career.
add, Register for CNBC MAWE MADE Newsletter To achieve success, money and life tips and tricks.
