US pulls further ahead on AI pay as Europe reshuffles and emerging markets accelerate, according to WTW

NEW YORK, May 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pay for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital talent continues to diverge sharply by country, with the United States extending its lead while Germany and the UK strengthen their positions in Europe, according to new findings from WTW’s (NASDAQ:WTW) latest Artificial Intelligence and Digital Talent Salary Survey Reports.

Median pay for Machine Learning roles (mid-level, technical expert) is highest in the US by a wide margin. At the median, total compensation for these roles (including: salary; allowances; short and long-term incentives) exceeds $170,000 in the US, compared to around $122,000 in Germany and just under $100,000 in the UK. Canada has fallen behind the UK this year, into fourth place for AI pay.

Across all countries studied* median pay for Machine Learning roles increased on average by 2% for salaries and 6% in total compensation, but Brazil and Mexico posted double-digit growth, with Mexico seeing a 19% rise in salaries and a 29% jump in total compensation. By contrast, Canada recorded declines in median pay for these roles, highlighting cooling pressure in some mature markets.

“AI pay is no longer just about where salaries are highest, but where momentum is building fastest and how employers are aligning pay and incentives to keep pace,” said Lesli Jennings, North America Leader for Work, Rewards, and Careers, WTW. “Employers that rely on last year’s assumptions risk falling behind, particularly as short and long-term incentives play a bigger role in fast-growing markets.”

AI still pays more than cyber and cloud
Across countries, AI Applications and Machine Learning roles continue to command higher pay than other high-demand digital disciplines such as cybersecurity and cloud computing engineering. WTW’s analysis attributes this gap to the scarcity of advanced AI skills, including algorithm design, neural networks and data modeling, alongside AI’s growing strategic importance across sectors.

Despite this, cloud computing pay is rising quickly. Median salaries for cloud engineering increased by an average of 9% across the ten countries, with total compensation up 12%. China and India saw particularly strong growth, reflecting rapid investment in cloud infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region.

“Organizations are increasingly using short and long-term incentives to compete for scarce skills,” Jennings said. “In AI roles especially, stronger growth in total pay rather than base salary alone suggests that long-term incentives are becoming a more important retention lever. For example, we’re seeing some employers using Restricted Stock Units with regular vesting periods in order to make pay packages more attractive and ‘sticky’ in terms of retaining talent for longer.”

Hot roles vary by country
Despite the attention AI attracts, the survey reports find that the most in-demand digital roles globally remain software-led. Software engineers top the worldwide demand rankings, followed by application developers and data scientists. Machine learning and AI engineers rank lower in terms of current demand, although WTW expects their strategic importance to grow as adoption deepens and infrastructure readiness catches up.

Geographically, supply and demand for AI talent is highly concentrated. The US, India and Germany lead demand for both AI engineers and machine learning engineers. Supply is strongest in India, followed by the US, with Canada and Germany also featuring prominently.

“These patterns underline why a single global pay strategy rarely works,” Jennings said. “What is considered a hot role – and how organizations need to reward and develop those roles, depends heavily on local supply, maturity of adoption and the mix of incentives on offer.”

Employers rethink the full reward package
The survey reports also show that base pay alone is no longer enough. Nearly half of organizations now offer differentiated reward programs for digital talent. Enhanced base pay remains the most common tool, but flexible working, learning and development, retention bonuses and long-term incentives are increasingly used to attract and keep scarce skills. Organizations also are looking at their skills strategies – alongside pay – to support the attraction, development and retention of digital and AI talent.

As AI roles evolve and new positions emerge, WTW notes that employers are reassessing job design and career paths alongside pay, reflecting the fast-changing nature of the digital labor market.

Notes to editors
*The ten countries analyzed were: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, UK and US.

About WTW
At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. Learn more at wtwco.com.

Media contacts:
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ileana.feoli@wtwco.com

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