The Greek labor market is undergoing a rapid transformation as AI adoption surged from 43% to 64% within a single year. However, PwC Greece’s "Hopes and Fears 2026" survey, involving 801 employees, highlights a critical risk: the emergence of a two-tier workforce.
The Skills Gap and the "Engine Room"
According to the findings, 69% of Greek workers belong to the so-called "Engine Room." these are employees with common skills who derive limited benefits from AI—a figure significantly higher than the global average of 56%. In contrast, only 7% are classified as "Front-runners," possessing rare skills and a strong professional advantage through technology.
The study categorizes the remaining workforce into two other groups: "AI Insurgents" (13%), who gain an edge through technology despite having common skills, and the "Indispensables" (11%), who possess rare expertise but have yet to see significant benefits from AI.
Training and Management Trust
Despite worker confidence—6 out of 10 feel capable of acquiring new skills—access to training resources has dropped to 41%, trailing the global average by ten percentage points. Kyriakos Andreou, Partner at PwC, noted that employees often adapt faster than the organizations they work for.
- 72% of workers are impacted by the rising cost of living.
- Only 47% believe they are paid fairly.
- Trust in senior management has declined to 39%.
Notably, daily AI users (37% of the total) report higher job security and greater trust in management. However, businesses appear focused on risk avoidance (37%) rather than rewarding AI innovation, which is incentivized by only 6% of organizations.
