U.S. entry-level jobs most exposed to AI were seven times more likely to require judgment, leadership, creativity or face-to-face interaction, a Forbes essay says. It urges high schools to teach these skills alongside technology as employers rank analytical thinking first.
PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer reported that jobs requiring AI skills were growing at 69%, compared with 9% for the overall job market, and carried a 62% average wage premium. Its human-skill comparison covered 2.4 million U.S. entry-level jobs.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers found seven in 10 considered analytical thinking essential; resilience, flexibility, leadership, creative thinking, motivation and self-awareness also ranked highly. In 2026 research by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, only about half of employers surveyed said recent graduates were proficient in communication, critical thinking and professionalism. The essay advocates a broad curriculum spanning math, science, history, literature and the arts.
