PwC plans to certify workers in critical thinking as AI changes their jobs

PwC US is launching a certification program starting in December for more than 85,000 employees across its US and Mexico offices and Acceleration Centers to build and demonstrate critical-thinking and judgment skills, with completion targeted by the end of its fiscal year in June 2027. The roughly six-month program begins with an assessment of thinking style, followed by classes developed with professors and veteran staff, realistic simulations, and a personalized AI coach, and proficiency will be evaluated in year-end performance reviews rather than through a pass/fail exam. PwC said AI is taking over foundational tasks that once helped employees develop judgment, and a recent analysis of US job listings found entry-level roles exposed to AI were far more likely to include senior-level skills such as judgment and leadership than in 2019.