AI has become one of the most popular fields in technology. The people who work there didn't all follow the same path to get there, but for some, college played a key role in their success.
For one AI startup engineer, going back to school was an opportunity to explore what a career in AI could be like before committing to it. Another is that moving to the US for a graduate program opened the door for me to be closer to the heart of Big Tech activity. In another case, relationships with colleagues, professors, and mentors formed during college continued to shape his career long after graduation.
Here are three people who pivoted to AI roles and shared with Business Insider how they used their college experience to break into the field. Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.
I quit quantitative trading and went back to school to decide whether to follow the AI boom
Varun Goyal joined the AI startup last spring after completing his master's degree. Courtesy of Varun Goyal
varun goyal He is a 25-year-old AI startup engineer based in California.
In my final year of undergrad, I found myself at a crossroads between pursuing a career in quantitative trading and technology. Dazzled by the initial high salary and prestige, I joined an Indian company in the summer as a quantitative strategist.
Although I had fun, I wanted to push the boundaries of my career and was increasingly convinced that I should go back to school to explore more options. I decided to move to the United States from India to pursue a master's degree in computer science.
Returning to school has given me the opportunity to further my research and engage with senior industry experts in both fields. This was the biggest benefit for me when deciding what I wanted my daily life and career to look like in 10 years.
There was also an AI boom in graduate school. It kept me up at night in the best possible way. I ended up applying to both industries and had a few quant interviews, but decided to join an AI startup in 2024 after graduation. Although I received a lower base salary than I would have earned as a quant, I felt that AI would give me more options in the future.
I wouldn't have had this opportunity if I hadn't gone back for my master's degree. I love working with AI.
I relied on my university mentors and colleagues to build my AI career at Google
Deep Shah has been an engineer at Google since 2018. Courtesy of Deep Shah
Deep Shah He is a 30-year-old software engineer at Google based in Mountain View, California.
Growing up, I wanted to develop my own computer games. That was the main reason I chose to pursue a career in computer engineering. Also, through conversations with colleagues who are older than me, I learned that there are many automated machines that can work for me in this field, which made me very excited. This was my first experience with mentorship.
As I pursued my bachelor's degree, I engaged with professors who believed in me and supported me. By exposing me to machine learning and AI problems that someone is interested in, big or small, I was able to learn skills that I rarely learn just by doing the core work.
Each mentor will teach you something different, and that person doesn't necessarily have to be a professor. They could be alumni or college seniors. Working with a mentor is also a valuable addition to your resume, proving that you already have the skills and experience needed to succeed in a professional environment.
Later in my career, I relied on my colleagues and mentors for opportunities to further advance my career at Google. I joined Google Bangalore in 2018 after talking to a friend who worked there. He helped me decide if the role I was applying for was right for me.
In 2021, I was still at Google Bangalore and wanted to help improve the user experience of Google Search. The team working on that project was based in Mountain View, California, and my skill set was a great match, so I decided to relocate to the US to join the team.
The networking skills I built with colleagues and mentors through my education directly contributed to my subsequent success at Google.
I used my master's degree and internship to get a full-time AI job and moved to the US.
Kriti Goyal, 28, furthered her career in Big Tech with a master's degree and moved to the US Provided by Kriti Goyal
Kriti Goyal He is a 28-year-old AI machine learning engineer at a large technology company based in Seattle.
I always thought I would study medicine until my cousin showed me a Code.org video featuring Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and other tech rock stars about how coding is the fastest way to turn ideas into products. That changed my life.
I'm currently part of the Foundation Model main framework team at a major US Big Tech company. This year marks the end of five years with them, during which time I have held four different roles. I used my master's degree to move to the United States and further my career.
I originally interned at my current company in India. Although I enjoyed working in India, core business decisions and strategizing for next projects were done here in the US headquarters.
There were two ways to immigrate to America. One option is to move within the company or get a master's degree. The two reasons why I chose the master's degree path are the knowledge and special expertise that I can develop through projects, and the contacts I have. The biggest thing I got from the program was the people I met.
When I came to the US, I knew some of the people at my previous company from my time in India, so I contacted them directly instead of applying through a job site. The interview for the machine learning engineering internship was easy because the company was already familiar with my work.
Learning and networking can take place in a variety of locations. It doesn't have to be a university. Cities like San Francisco and New York enjoy the networking benefits of universities and structured systems.
I think it's possible to skip that education stage now. But I've seen bias in the hiring of certain teams, and it's still something that can't be fixed. I was changing countries and cultures, and college was a great way to get through the immigration system and understand the culture. I needed it. I feel lucky to be where I am in my career because of my decision to pursue a master's degree.
Do you have a story to share about breaking into the AI field? Please contact this editor, Agnes Applegate. aapplegate@insider.com.
