Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is slowly integrating into every aspect of society—from classrooms and hospitals to automobiles and farm fields. As its use grows beyond tools like ChatGPT, so does the need for experts with the skills to develop and harness A.I. and machine learning programs.
Recent job numbers show that growth in action. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report, the demand for A.I. and machine learning specialists is expected to increase at a rate of 40%—faster than any labor force. That translates to an estimated 1 million new jobs over the next five years.
As a result, jumping into a career in A.I. at a start-up or large company may be more possible than ever. Data from LinkedIn shows that A.I. skills are among the most-sought after at many Fortune 500 tech companies, such as Amazon, Apple, and IBM. And, among companies with more than 50,000 employees, A.I. and big data rank as the top priority for training strategies over the next five years, according to the WEF report.
This also means opportunities for sizable salaries. Estimates from Glassdoor put the average annual salary of an A.I. engineer at $120,000. Many companies have also created new executive-level roles for A.I. leaders, such as chief A.I. officers.
So how can you land a leadership role in A.I.? One pathway is obtaining an A.I.-focused MBA degree.
At many business schools, the intersection of leadership and A.I. is becoming much more common. That’s because of A.I.’s continued integration across business—from research to customer service, says Manuel Nuñez, associate dean of graduate programs at the Villanova School of Business. It is among the few schools that offer specialized MBA programs in A.I.
“It’s clear that A.I. is infused into almost every part of the business ecosystem,” Nuñez tells Fortune.
Because of the in-demand skills, every MBA candidate—no matter their specialization—will be exposed to A.I. and machine learning at Villanova, he adds. This may include immersion in foundational coursework like studying predictive and generative A.I. as well as applied coursework in the business problem-solving space. Students will also importantly weigh the social and ethical implications of A.I., Nuñez says.
Like Villanova, Northwestern University offers a combined business and A.I. program called an MBAi. Eric Anderson is the director of the program.
“While A.I. and analytics hold tremendous promise, most firms continue to struggle with delivering and scaling successful business outcomes,” he says in the press release during the MBAi’s launch.
As the world accepts the future of A.I., the real-world skills in machine learning, language processing, and data management obtained through an A.I.-concentrated MBA could help propel you as a leader in A.I. engineering, project managing, or consulting. Fortune has made it a little easier for you and compiled a list of some of the program opportunities.
