How to Become an Artificial Intelligence Specialist?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the future. Where once it was the stuff of fantasy, AI is embedded in our daily lives today, and it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Therefore, for those considering their career options, AI presents a wealth of opportunities.

AI – the science of creating machines and systems that are programmed to “think” like a human, to recognize speech and images, process information, and make decisions based on human precedent, is a rapidly changing sector, with implications across industries. Today, AI can streamline healthcare and improve diagnostics, it can bring unrivaled entertainment, or offer protection against cyber-attacks. With so many applications of AI and even more possibilities, it is not surprising that the talent pool is struggling to keep up with demand; take a look at the wealth of contract jobs available at Motion Recruitment.

What does an AI specialist do?

It is easy to imagine AI as high-octane and full of breakthrough discoveries, but as a science, AI requires a deep level of understanding and a lot of patience. AI specialists understand a range of technologies and tools at their disposal within the AI industry, and they will know how to use them to help their organization explore and implement creative ways in which AI can improve and streamline their operations. AI helps organizations to be at the forefront of their industry in terms of good practice, robust decision-making, and data accuracy. The potential of AI is limited only by the AI specialists’ knowledge and capabilities.

Thanks to the rising need for AI specialists, it shouldn’t be too challenging to secure an entry-level job in AI. However, there are some things that those considering a career in AI can do to help boost opportunities.

Step 1: start at the beginning

There is no shortcut to becoming an expert. If you want to be an AI specialist, you will need a strong background in computer science. This is because, without math, statistics, programming, and data skills, you won’t have the tools that you need to develop algorithms for AI, let alone implement and test them in code. If you are considering a career in AI and you don’t have at least one programming language, such as Java, C++, or Python, then you need to learn them.

Step 2: Choose your specialism

An interest in AI is as broad as an interest in science. AI can take you in a range of directions across industries and functions. The cross-industry element is not as important for career development, but the functional variations can range from computer vision to natural language processing, deep learning to speech recognition, machine learning to natural language generation, and computer graphics to robotics. For every specialism, there is a set of skills and knowledge that a specialist must possess: tools, methods, theories, and common challenges that will need different levels of skills and experience to overcome.

Step 3: develop your skills

Consider your career and experience in AI so far and think about where your skills are best matched within AI. If you are looking for an entry-level job or considering a change of direction in your career, it may be useful to look at different job descriptions to see what a good match for you might be, and where you may have gaps in knowledge or experience. Now work on your portfolio to demonstrate your strengths and achievements in those areas, and to help you to boost the weaker points within your portfolio. There are a host of platforms available to find inspiration for portfolio development, including OpenAI Gym, Kaggle, and Google Colab. As you progress, keep a record of your projects, and add detailed explanations and code snippets so that you and others can understand your rationale and so that you can reflect and learn from your own experience.

Step 4: get yourself out there!

Armed with a good idea of where you want to specialize within AI, good skills and experience, and a strong portfolio, you are ready to start making job inquiries. Begin by networking; speak to people within your organization and within organizations that you might want to work in. Look for a mentor – someone who works in the sector and specialism that you aspire to; and reach out to recruitment firms. At the entry-level, it is advisable that you get the balance between being too choosy and too desperate. You may have to compromise on some things but be clear on what you are not willing to sacrifice in terms of career progression, company values, and rewards packages. If experience is a problem for you, looking for internships or casual work can help you pad out your resume.

Step 5: reiterate

Just as reflection and improvement are central to AI, they form valuable elements of the recruitment process. If you are unsuccessful at getting interviews, continue to boost your portfolio and network, and reflect on what might be missing. If you fail at the interview, ask for feedback and get additional advice. Constantly seek feedback on your work, so that you can continually improve and optimize your chances of securing the AI role that is best for you right now.