It's become common to joke about how robots will take our jobs, and rightly so. Researchers at the University of Oxford estimate that 47% of all current U.S. jobs are at high risk of being automated over the next decade or so.
However, there is some positive news. A recent report from Gartner says that of the 1.8 million jobs that will be lost to AI, 2.3 million will be created by emerging sectors by 2020. And according to a recent report from Capgemini, 83% of companies using AI say the technology has already increased employment.
Much of that growth is due to technology itself.
Brandon Purcell said, “The next 5-10 years will see job growth across all AI-related sectors. This will mitigate the inevitable job losses due to the oft-touted AI-driven automation. It will be one.” Forrester analyst.
Want to start a career in this field? Here are the top six most in-demand AI jobs and their average salaries, according to data from job search site Indeed.
See: IT Leaders' Guide to the Future of Artificial Intelligence (Tech Pro Research)
1. Machine Learning Engineer – $142,904
Job Posting Example: Machine Learning Engineer, Pinterest Recommendations
2. Data Scientist – $141,807
Job posting example: Data Scientist at Indeed
3. Research Scientist – $137,713
Job posting example: Senior Researcher, Deep Learning at Clarifai
4. Research and development engineer
Example job listing: Research Scientist R&D Engineer – Pearson Speech Processing/Recognition
5. Business Intelligence Developer – $136,486
Job Posting Example: Business Intelligence Engineer at EVERFI
6. Computer Vision Engineer – $136,152
Example job posting: Computer Vision Research Engineer at Gracenote
As the field grows, most experts believe it is unlikely, if ever, that current AI jobs will become obsolete or cease to be employed.
“I always joke that the safest job on the planet is being an AI researcher,” said Toby Walsh, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of New South Wales. “When you automate AI researchers, by definition, you literally allow machines to do everything else.”
Most of these in-demand jobs require similar skills, such as math and machine learning skills.
“There are certain technical requirements that tend to be fairly standard, such as a CS degree or programming skills,” said Raj Mukherjee, senior vice president of product at Indeed. “However, Indeed's data shows that a background in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C/C++, and past experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or natural language processing are all at the top of what employers look for in applicants. I also learned that it is a skill.”
How to get an AI-related job
There are other ways to become a strong candidate for these high-paying jobs besides getting the standard skill set and education. Here are five things experts recommend to improve your application, whether you're already working in this field or not.
1. Check out our online courses. As with many technology-based fields, there are several online courses on AI topics that allow you to learn more about the field as a whole and gain more specialized knowledge. Purcell said there are also options to offer certifications that can enhance your resume.
2. Join an external organization. Learning from others in the field will help improve your skills, so check out local hackathons and similar meetups. Joining an organization like DataKind allows data scientists to practice and grow their skills while working on new data and learning from their peers, Purcell said.
3. Add standard business knowledge. While many of the in-demand AI jobs are technical in nature, knowing how to apply those developments to other businesses and consumers is important for any organization, Purcell said. says.
“These people typically have very technical knowledge and are in charge of translating the results of these models into operational AI systems that impact the bottom line while also positively impacting the customer experience. They don't necessarily have the business acumen needed to do that,” Purcell said. . “Therefore, there is a growing demand for alternative skill sets that include deep business and domain expertise as well as familiarity with AI technology.”
4. Read a lot of books. Multiple experts agreed. People working in AI need to constantly learn, and reading is a way to do that. Roman Yampolsky, director of the Cybersecurity Institute at the University of Louisville, recommended subscribing to scientific publications.
“The real secret is to read. Read a lot. Not just in your own field, but in all related fields. And some things even further afield,” Walsh said, adding that across multiple platforms science and nature Recommended topic.
5. Be a sponge. Since AI is a rapidly evolving field, Mukherjee recommends being prepared to explore as many experiences and opportunities in AI as possible.
“Stay up to date on the latest research in AI. There are so many advances happening every day,” Mukherjee said. “This may include looking for opportunities within or outside of their current workplace. Make sure they don't focus on one area.”
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