Interested in A.I. as a Career? Here’s Some Good News

1. Interested in A.I. as a Career? Here’s Some Good News The “​tech talent gap​” is real and it is growing but the cause of it is not the lack of passionate talented tech individuals, but the tech companies’ inability to access the talent that they require. If this issue goes unaddressed, the tech talent gap will keep increasing. It is extremely vital for tech companies to come up with innovative means to tackle this talent deficit which has been impeding the growth of a vast majority of companies. For the past decade, ​Artificial Intelligence​ has been heavily influencing and reshaping society in both consumer and business realms. Hailed as the ‘4th Industrial Revolution’, the rise of AI technology forms one of the seminal stages of development witnessed by humanity since the start of mechanical production during the first industrial revolution in 1784. CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai observes: “The last ten years have been about building a world that is mobile- first. In the next ten years, we will shift to a world that is AI- first.” Artificial Intelligence has taken the world by storm, particularly since IT giants like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Facebook have ensured that AI has an

2. impact on practically every aspect of our lives. Whether it is SIRI and 3D printing, or drones, pedestrian detection and autonomous vehicles, we have reached a stage where AI is indispensable to our lives. Despite its monumental success and all the hype surrounding it, Artificial Intelligence is still in its infant state. It is a fast-expanding market with endless opportunities, and NOW is the perfect time for young people to capitalise on it by acquiring and developing pertinent skills. What’s more, pursuing Artificial Intelligence as a career can help you earn quite a lot! According to ‘The Dice Salary Calculator’, a tech pro from San Francisco with a minimum of five years of experience in technologies related to Artificial Intelligence can earn up to $121,000 per year. In a “fun” place like Kansas City, salaries for pursuing a career in Artificial Intelligence may approach or even exceed six figures! An analysis conducted by ‘The New York Times’, three years ago, found out that Ilya Sutskever, who works in OpenAI, earned almost $2 million. However, the demand for people equipped with the knowledge of Artificial Intelligence far outstrips supply. An analysis conducted by ‘McKinsey & Company’ found out that A.I experts in the world are fewer than 10,000. ·​​There are multiple courses being offered by tech companies and educational organisations that can help you develop essential skills to pursue a ​career​ in Artificial Intelligence. ·​​They also instruct you about machine-learning on a rudimentary level. ·​​For instance, Google offers a crash-course on machine learning, that only takes a few hours, through their website, ‘Google Cloud Platform Website.’ Facebook also provides a series of videos related to fundamental Artificial Intelligence concepts. ·​​You could also be a self-taught Artificial Intelligence pro. Many free and low-cost learning opportunities ​can be found online, with a little research. ·​​You could access ‘GitHub’ to teach yourself the basics of AI, or check out Udacity, fast.ai, Codecademy, and Coursera. ·​​These help you gain immense knowledge, at your own pace and from the confines of your bedroom if you so want, while also jazzing up your CV. Artificial Intelligence is taking over all aspects of our lives- from our economic growth to waste reduction, from healthcare to education. Moreover, training in Artificial Intelligence opens up job prospects in machine learning and development, data science and architecting Artificial Intelligence technology stack. It is, indeed, the fastest growing ​job market​ in today’s world, and it is the perfect time for you to take proactive and decisive steps to launch a successful career.