AI and ML Career Options

September 25, 2022 Industry Source 963 Views 0 Comments STEM Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its offshoot Machine Learning (ML) will be a foundational tool for creating social good as well as business success. AI and ML will grow substantially every year, as the former CEO of Oracle, Mark Hurd, correctly predicted. Businesses today rely on AI and ML technologies to function effectively and provide a more streamlined method of collaboration with both internal and external parties.

ML is the process of indoctrinating machines to understand data to make judgments or predictions. For ML to be successful, the system must be able to learn and find patterns without even being clearly and unambiguously told. Data science, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, computational statistics, data mining, etc, are a few subfields of ML. A Gartner report claims that by 2025, 2 million new jobs will be generated by AI/ML.

How to become an expert

The road to becoming an expert and having a successful career in AI and ML is simpler and more attainable, but like any other profession, it still requires will, focus, and effort. An EY analysis states that to benefit from AI and ML, one must be aware of its limitations when applied in a professional environment. To execute effective ML, it is imperative to evaluate the advantages and skills required to activate, integrate, and apply automation and smart technologies in the work ecosystem.

The bulk of applications is constructed using fundamental concepts from Computer Science and Mathematics for ML. An entry-level position requires a bachelor’s degree in either Computer Science or BTech, but positions requiring management or leadership ideally seek applicants with a master’s or a PhD degree.

Understanding of these Concepts

For gaining a solid foundation in AI and ML, one should have been exposed to a wide range of STEM-based studies; they include topics like probability, statistics, algebra, calculus, logic, and algorithms. It’s important to have a solid understanding of these concepts as well as hands-on experience in coding and knowledge of programming languages such as Python, Java, and C++. Aspirants with a background in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or Engineering have an edge while pursuing a career in AI/ML engineering.

Aspirants can search for degree programmes that provide specific courses in artificial intelligence or courses that focus particularly on AI/ML in other common subjects, including data science, engineering, medical technology, product design, software engineering, and Internet-of-Things (IoT).

According to Dataconomy’s research paper, employment opportunities for data scientists and mathematical scientists, who form a critical mass of AI and ML developers would increase by 31.4 percent by 2030. Career progression opportunities in the field of AI/ML are promising, and it is also the technology underpinning AI algorithms, speech analysis, and language translation.

The next step

According to Statista’s research analysis, the AI/ML industry will be valued at about $126 billion by 2025. Major businesses have optimised their operations and invested large sums of money in the AI/ML sector.

AI currently has constraints connected to the learning method itself; robots acquire knowledge progressively by basing future judgements on historical data to create an individual output. In contrast to AI, humans can use context, think more imaginatively, and unlearn knowledge that is no longer relevant.

Therefore, it is hoped that future AI/ML algorithms will also be capable of machine unlearning, especially for digital assets like financial and personal data. This might be the next step in enhancing AI security and reducing some of its hazards.

In the realm of cybersecurity, it has become crucial to identify security risks using ML. As ‘clever’ as a programmed robot or a computer may be, AI/ML algorithms do not have perceptions; they only make conclusions based on the facts and rational reasoning that have already been presented to them by humans. About AI and ML surpassing humans, we haven’t yet developed software that can mimic our own analytical and rational processes. While machines are valuable tools, they are simply a supplement to humans.