Artificial intelligence has evolved from a trend into the core driving force behind technological innovation and transformation of various industries. Building a career in the domain of AI is probably the best decision for your career, especially at a time when AI adoption is gaining momentum. Learning about AI career progression will help you check the options you can pursue for a successful career in AI.
Gartner as pointed out that around 70% of large-scale organizations will use AI to forecast future demand by 2030 (Source). It does not seem impossible with the rate at which companies are embracing AI and increasing private AI investment. You can capitalize on these trends and build a career with artificial intelligence from scratch. Any beginner can use a career progression roadmap to find clear directions towards becoming an expert.
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Unraveling the Career Progression for Top AI Career Roles
The journey of building a successful career in AI offers multiple opportunities to drive innovation and make a huge impact. However, many people don’t know where to start their AI career as they lack awareness of the ways in which you can grow in different AI jobs. Each job role in AI comes with a career progression path that offers a clear roadmap from entry-level positions to expert roles.
1. Machine Learning Engineer
The most popular role in AI job markets worldwide is that of a machine learning engineer. It will be one of the top artificial intelligence jobs in future, considering the fact that it is impossible to think of AI without machine learning. The responsibility of a machine learning engineer revolves around building and implementing machine learning models.
Machine learning engineers address the requirements for data preparation, model training, fine-tuning, and implementation of scalable machine learning solutions. The career progression of a machine learning engineer goes through the following series of roles.
- Junior machine learning engineer
- Machine learning engineer
- Senior machine learning engineer
- Machine learning manager
- Machine learning architect
- Head of machine learning
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2. AI Research Scientist
You cannot make a list of top jobs in AI without including AI research scientists. Beginners can find answers to “What is the career path for AI?” in the role of an AI research scientist that commits to growth and innovation in AI. The major responsibility of an AI research scientist focuses on development and implementation of novel algorithms and theories.
AI research scientists conduct experiments, publish research papers, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to drive the development of new AI technologies and systems. You can travel the journey from being a beginner AI research scientist to an expert through the following roles.
- Research intern
- Research scientist
- Senior research scientist
- Principal scientist
- Chief research scientist
3. AI-focused Data Scientist
The search for an ideal career path in AI will also lead you to the role of data scientists with AI focus. Data scientists in the AI landscape utilize machine learning, big data toolkits and statistical analysis to obtain insights and develop predictive models.
The responsibilities of AI-focused data scientists revolve around designing data pipelines and developing advanced predictive algorithms. AI-focus data scientists also help in implementing AI strategies to enhance data-driven decision making in organizations. The career progression roadmap for an AI-focused data scientist will travel through the following roles.
- Data analyst
- Junior data scientist
- Data scientist
- Senior data scientist
- Lead data scientist
- Chief data scientist
4. AI Product Manager
One of the new roles that a certified AI expert can pursue is that of an AI product manager. The specialty of an AI product manager is evident in the way they bridge the gap between the technical aspects and business value of AI products. AI product managers are responsible for defining the product vision, roadmap, and strategy.
The other tasks of AI product managers include maintaining coordination with business stakeholders and engineering teams involved in AI product development. As an AI product manager, you will conduct market analysis, design user experiences, and achieve alignment between AI products and business goals. The career path for an AI product manager will take you from a beginner to expert level through the following roles.
- Associate product manager
- AI product manager
- Senior AI product manager
- Director of AI product management
- VP of AI product management
5. Ethical AI Advocate
The growing momentum of AI adoption has been accompanied by the urgent need to safeguard ethics in AI products and systems. Ethical AI advocates have to ensure that AI products and technologies are implemented in accordance to ethical and responsibility guidelines. The primary goal of an ethical AI advocate is to design industry standards and shape global policies that support responsible AI development.
Ethical AI advocates develop and promote ethical AI frameworks, increase awareness about implications of AI and push for policy growth. You will have to grow through the following roles as an ethical AI advocate in your career progression roadmap.
- AI ethics researcher
- AI ethics specialist
- Senior AI ethics advisor
- Director of AI ethics
- Chief ethics officer
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How Much Will You Earn in AI Jobs?
After learning about the career paths you have to follow in different AI job roles, you might want to know how much you can earn as an AI professional. The artificial intelligence career salary will vary across different roles and depend significantly on your seniority and experience. Entry-level AI engineers can earn between $93,000 and $152,000 annually while senior AI architects can earn up to $178,000. You can notice the highest salary packages in AI jobs focused on research as senior research scientists can earn $223,000 per year.
Which Skills Do You Need for Career Progression in AI?
You want to grow your career in AI from scratch and there is no way you can ignore the most crucial skills required for AI jobs. Anyone interested in building a career in artificial intelligence should know the essential skills that will help them transform from a beginner to experts.
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Programming Skills
AI professionals must have comprehensive command over programming languages like Python and R, as both of them are used in AI programming. You will need programming skills to develop models for data processing and practical projects.
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Mathematical Expertise
You cannot think about pursuing an AI career progression roadmap without in-depth understanding of mathematics. AI experts know the concepts of statistics, basic algebra and probability, which help them with different tasks. Mathematical skills and in-depth understanding of statistics can help you predict outcomes, decipher data patterns and confidently evaluate model output.
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Data Analysis and Management
The core pillars of skills required to grow as an AI professionals also include data analysis and management. You cannot imagine the world of AI without data management, which focuses on collecting data, refining, and interpretation. The ability to feed perfect data to AI models can help you craft the ideal systems for different use cases.
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Curiosity to Continue Learning
The most crucial skill that you will need for career progression from beginner to the role of an AI expert is the curiosity to learn more. You can notice how the domain of artificial intelligence is changing constantly with arrival of new technologies and trends. You can become a certified AI expert only if you have the hunger to learn more and stay updated with new tools and technologies. Continuous learning provides a strong foundation for long-term professional growth in a field that changes every second.
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What are the Ideal Steps to Boost Your Career Progression in AI?
Almost every beginner in the domain of artificial intelligence has many questions about the career path they should follow. You will find different suggestions from various sources for building your career in AI. However, experts recommend that you should follow a straightforward roadmap by adhering to certain mandatory steps.
- Always choose the career path in AI that aligns with your interests, career goals and responsibilities.
- Pursue professional training courses and certification courses to expand your knowledge of AI from a career development perspective.
- Gain practical, hands-on experience in real projects, which may include small projects and online challenges, to test your expertise.
- Build a portfolio that showcases your AI skills with clear documentation of projects you have worked on.
- Invest efforts and time in professional networking by attending events and joining online communities to gain more professional contacts.
- Stay updated with the AI industry to learn about new trends, tools, research and news updates that help you stay relevant in the industry.
Final Thoughts
The decision to pursue a career in AI comes with the challenge of choosing one option from multiple career paths. You can define your own AI career progression roadmap by beginning with identification of the role you want to pursue. Once you have picked a specific role that interests you, it is important to understand the roles you have to go through to reach the level of an expert. Aspiring professionals should follow a structured plan to acquire skills and build confidence to pursue AI career paths of their choice. Learn more about career options in artificial intelligence and how to transition from a beginner to an expert now.
FAQs
Which AI certification programs offer recognized credentials for career advancement?
The Certified AI Professional (CAIP)™ certification program is the ideal choice for candidates who want recognized credentials for career advancement. It is an accredited and self-paced AI certification program by Future Skills Academy, tailored for learners with any skill level. You can learn about core concepts of AI and how notable AI technologies work alongside exploring the practical applications of AI. The certification course also empowers learners with skills required to use AI in any workplace.
What skills are required at different AI career levels?
The skills required at different AI career levels will differ according to the role you are pursuing. You will need programming skills in languages used in the domain of AI, such as Python and R. In addition, you should have strong command over data analysis and management to prepare data for AI models. AI professionals must also know basic algebra, statistics and probability to support their work as experts.
How long does it take to become an AI expert?
The journey of becoming an AI expert varies from one learner to another due to various reasons. You will notice that the learning styles are different and candidates may choose different resources for skill development. However, the average time required to become an AI expert may vary from six months to a year. With unwavering commitment to professional growth, you can become an AI expert in the least duration possible.
About Author
David Miller is a dedicated content writer and customer relationship specialist at Future Skills Academy. With a passion for technology, he specializes in crafting insightful articles on AI, machine learning, and deep learning. David's expertise lies in creating engaging content that educates and inspires readers, helping them stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in the tech industry.
