With AI, ‘Soft Skills’ Matter More Than People Realize

The more companies deploy artificial intelligence, the more they crave soft skills — the very human traits many feared AI would render obsolete. A new PwC survey reveals a counterintuitive truth: as AI takes over routine tasks, empathy, communication, and critical thinking are becoming the most sought-after attributes in the workforce.

PwC’s 2026 Global Workforce Survey, which polled over 4,000 executives across 30 countries, found that 77% of organisations report an increased need for soft skills since adopting AI at scale. The findings upend the common narrative that AI will replace human workers, instead suggesting that human expertise becomes more — not less — valuable when machines handle repetitive work.

"The data is clear: soft skills are the new hard skills," said John Smithson, PwC’s global HR transformation leader. "AI can process data and automate decisions, but it cannot replicate the empathy, creativity, and nuanced judgment that humans bring to complex interactions."

The survey identified the top five soft skills organisations now prioritise: emotional intelligence, adaptability, active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and ethical reasoning. Approximately 68% of executives said they are already redesigning roles to emphasise these capabilities, while 54% are investing heavily in soft-skills training programmes.

Yet many companies are struggling to keep pace. PwC’s results show that 42% of employers cannot find enough candidates with the right soft skills, creating a talent bottleneck even as AI boosts productivity. The gap is especially acute in healthcare, customer service, and management roles, where human interaction remains paramount.

Industry observers note that this shift represents a fundamental revaluation of what work means. "We used to think AI would make people irrelevant, but it's actually making their emotional intelligence more valuable," said Dr. Elena Torres, labour economist at MIT. "The premium on soft skills is reshaping everything from hiring strategies to compensation models."

Looking ahead, the report predicts that by 2028, over 90% of job postings for roles involving AI will list soft skills as a primary requirement. Companies that fail to adapt risk falling behind in innovation and employee retention. As one executive put it, "In an AI world, being human is your biggest advantage."