Demand for AI Skills Grows in Legal and Consulting Jobs
Insights | New Stardom
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Employers in legal and consulting fields are changing what they look for and AI skills are now high on the list.
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According to PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer, legal and consulting roles are seeing a measurable increase in demand for AI-related skills. While the sector’s share of global job postings has remained broadly stable over the past decade (9.8% of all global vacancies in 2024, down from 11.3% in 2012), the types of roles advertised have changed. AI competencies are now required in 5.1% of professional services job ads, the second highest rate across all sectors after ICT.
This marks a shift in hiring expectations. AI is not reducing jobs in professional services but changing their content. Legal, accounting, and advisory firms are integrating AI into workflows. Industry data cited in the Barometer shows that generative AI has reduced administrative workloads and improved the quality of client deliverables.
The trend is most visible in what PwC defines as "augmentable" roles, jobs such as analysts, auditors, and legal associates, where AI supports human decision-making. In the United States, skill requirements for these roles are evolving nearly twice as fast as those in automatable positions. Globally, the wage premium for professionals with AI skills in this sector has risen to 64%, up from 25% one year earlier.
The demand is not limited to technical positions. Cross-functional roles such as AI specialists, fintech engineers, and software developers are becoming part of how professional services are delivered, according to the World Economic Forum.
Professional services firms are adjusting their hiring to match this shift. The most sought-after candidates are those who combine domain knowledge with the ability to work with AI systems.
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Report:
PwC 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer, July 2025
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