Artificial intelligence is rapidly growing, with new applications being discovered daily. As a result, the industry needs more artificial intelligence engineers to meet the growing demand. While it sounds like an intriguing career, how does someone become one?
This article deals with how to become an AI engineer. We will review what artificial intelligence is, explain what artificial intelligence engineering entails, why it’s a good idea and outline the process of becoming an AI engineer.
Finally, we’ll show you online AI ML training to help you reach your AI engineer career goals.
Let’s review what artificial intelligence is.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence, called AI for short, is a computer’s ability to imitate human behavior and perform functions and tasks that we usually associate with the human brain. These functions include reasoning, perceiving, interacting with an environment, learning, problem-solving, and creativity!
In artificial intelligence, machines learn from past actions and data, which can be positive or negative. The machine can correct itself when it gains new information so the problems don’t repeat. Additionally, the AI-equipped machine can adjust to accommodate new inputs.
The AI field is a fusion of robust datasets and computer science with the ultimate goal of problem-solving.
Alright, so far, so good. So, what’s AI engineering, then?
What is AI Engineering?
Let’s turn to one of the most brilliant places in the world, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for an authoritative answer:
“AI engineering is the process of combining systems engineering principles, software engineering, computer science, and human-centered design to create intelligent systems that can complete certain tasks or reach certain goals.”
Meta: Artificial intelligence engineering helps engineers analyze and optimize complex computer systems using computer science and artificial intelligence. Based on this definition, we can better understand what an AI engineer actually does.
How to Become an AI Engineer: A Guide
The typical engineer develops and implements AI solutions for organizations. These specialist use their expertise to create intelligent systems that can learn, adjust and adapt to constantly changing data. Additionally, AI engineers use machine learning (ML) algorithms and deep learning neural networks to develop artificial intelligence models that extract essential business insights, which can then be leveraged to make informative and impactful decisions for the company.
Artificial intelligence engineers also use various tools and techniques to process data and create and maintain artificial intelligence systems. Finally, AI engineers are typically called on to build different AI applications like visual identification or perception, contextual advertising based on sentiment analysis and language translation.
And now, based on the above job description, we will spell out the AI engineer’s specific roles and responsibilities.
The Artificial Intelligence Engineer’s Responsibilities and Roles
Most artificial intelligence engineers are called on to fulfill most, if not all, of these responsibilities and roles.
- Build artificial intelligence models from scratch and help product managers and stakeholders with analysis and implementation
- Adapt machine learning models into application programming interfaces (APIs) that can integrate with other applications
- Perform statistical analysis and interpret results to optimize and guide the organization’s decision-making process
- Develop and maintain artificial intelligence infrastructures and product development.
- Automate the data science team’s infrastructure
- Run artificial intelligence and machine learning experiments and tests
- Collaborate with other teams and coordinate tasks to promote AI adoption and best practices
- Training and retraining systems as needed
What Are the Essential AI Engineering Skills?
Artificial intelligence is a demanding field that requires knowledgeable, trained professionals. A good AI engineer has the following critical skills.
- Proficiency in popular programming languages such as Java, C++, Python, R, Scala and TypeScript
- Extensive knowledge of calculus, probability, statistics and linear algebra
- A thorough understanding of AI models like linear discriminant analysis, Naive Bayes, Hidden Markov and Gaussian mixture models
- A solid working knowledge of big data technologies like Apache Spark, Hadoop, Cassandra and MongoDB
- Proficiency in machine learning frameworks and algorithms like Keras, KNN, linear regression, Naive Bayes, PyTorch and Theano
- Solid communication skills
- Good problem-solving and decision-making abilities
- Critical thinking skills
- The ability to manage your time wisely
- Robust leadership skills
But Do AI Engineers Require a Degree?
Many organizations looking to hire an artificial intelligence engineer have a minimum education requirement of a bachelor’s degree. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need a specific artificial intelligence degree. Since artificial intelligence is a relatively new field, only some institutions can offer AI degrees in the first place.
When recruiters look for a bachelor’s degree, they are looking for someone who has some formal education in a field that’s at least AI-adjacent. This field could be computer science, data science, IT, math or statistics. Once you have that degree, you can call attention to any additional AI-related courses or bootcamps that support your learning.
Why Should You Become an AI Engineer?
Here’s a list of reasons why you should consider becoming an artificial intelligence engineer:
- AI is everywhere. Artificial intelligence is being adopted by more companies, organizations, and institutions, so if you learn AI engineering, you’re aligning your skillset with one of today’s hottest technological trends.
- The demand is high. Since AI is everywhere, there’s a correspondingly high demand for artificial intelligence professionals such as artificial intelligence engineers.
- It’s an excellent stepping stone on your career path. You may not want to remain an AI engineer all your life. But if you begin as an AI engineer, the position can be a launch pad for other IT-related careers.
- It pays well. According to the Glassdoor job site, artificial intelligence engineers in the United States make an annual average salary of $126,982.
Now that you know why you should become an AI engineer, let’s explore how to become one.
How to Become an AI Engineer
Follow these steps, and you will be on your way to a rewarding artificial intelligence engineering career.
- Get the Required Education. Try obtaining a degree in an AI-related field. Artificial intelligence engineering demands a solid educational background. AI engineers usually hold a bachelor’s degree in an AI-adjacent field such as computer science, data science, mathematics or a related subject. After you get your bachelor’s, perhaps consider a master’s degree in these AI-related fields. While not mandatory, it can prove beneficial. Additionally, AI engineers must know programming languages and fathom applied mathematics and algorithms. At the end of the day, a degree is still the most widely accepted recruitment criterion since it equips you with the necessary fundamental knowledge and best prepares you for an AI engineering role.
- Acquire Hands-On Experience. Artificial intelligence engineers must gain experience. Consider vying for internships in relevant fields to obtain beginning experience and insights into the profession and prepare accordingly.
- Develop the Necessary Technical Skills . With artificial intelligence’s theoretical knowledge out of the way, you next must focus on developing the right technical skills. This stage includes getting proficient in tools typically used by AI engineers, such as AI models, programming and natural language processing (NLP).
- Consider Signing Up for Online Courses or Bootcamps. Next, consider a short-term intensive course to gain AI engineering credentials. Online bootcamps and courses are designed to teach you how to become an AI engineer and boost your AI career significantly.
- Construct Your AI Portfolio. An AI portfolio is an effective way to show off your skills and experience. The portfolio provides tangible examples of your capabilities, whether you’re experienced in AI or not. Portfolios are essential to showcase any AI projects you’ve worked on or collaborated on, your related interests, and your career growth goals.
- Develop Your Professional Network and Make It Grow. Sometimes, it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. That’s why networking is essential to aspiring AI engineers. You can get valuable advice, insights, and chances for career growth by connecting with industry experts, mentors and colleagues. Also, networking helps you identify new job opportunities, acquire exposure to different markets and industries and remain up-to-date with emerging trends and best practices in AI. Considering its rapid growth pace, this is a valuable perk.
- Find a Mentor. This step blends in nicely with the networking idea. A good mentor can be critical in shaping your artificial intelligence engineer career. Mentors can help you understand how to become an AI engineer and offer guidance. An experienced AI expert with an established career in the engineering field can provide you with valuable insights as well as evaluate your strengths and other development areas.
- Apply for Artificial Intelligence Engineer Jobs. Once you’ve completed the above steps, you’re finally ready to apply for AI engineering jobs. This process lets you showcase your skills, competencies, and expertise to potential recruiters and employers.
Do You Want to Learn More About Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?
This immersive AI ML bootcamp is the perfect solution for aspiring AI engineers who want to round out their skills and gain certification. This 24-week boot camp teaches cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques using live classes, over two dozen hands-on projects and many helpful industry insights.
So, get your artificial intelligence engineering career off the ground, sign up for this intense, informative bootcamp, and sharpen the necessary skills to thrive in this exciting new technology!
