Thinking of a career in AI? Make sure you have these 8 skills

This article was originally published on .cult by Saudamani Singh. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world.

If you’ve ever used Alexa or Siri, sat in a self-driving car, talked to a chatbot, or even watched something recommended to you by Netflix, you’ve come across Artificial Intelligence, or AI, as it’s commonly known.

AI is a major driving force behind the world’s advancement in almost every field of study including healthcare, finance, entertainment, and transport. Simply put, Artificial Intelligence is the capability of machines to learn like humans, take problem-solving decisions, and complete tasks that would otherwise require multiple individuals to invest long working hours.

Thinking of a career in this exciting field? We’re here to answer all your AI-related questions, so you can get humanity one step closer to planting Elon Musk’s neuralink chips into our brains and curing blindness! Or, just make a chatbot.

Eight skills you’ll need to become an AI engineer

AI engineers conduct a variety of tasks that would fly right over the layman’s head. In fairness, creating and implementing machine learning algorithms sounds like something right out of a sci-fi movie. To be able to do that though, here are some skills every AI engineer must have:

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1. Analytics

To be able to create deep-learning models that analyse patterns, a strong understanding of analytics is a prerequisite. Being very grounded with analytics will help in testing and configuring AI.

2. Applied Mathematics

We’re guessing if you have an interest in Artificial Intelligence engineering, you probably don’t hate math, since it is at the core of all things AI. A firm understanding of gradient descent, quadratic programming and stuff like convex optimization is necessary.

3. Statistics and algorithms

An adequate understanding of statistics is required while working with algorithms. AI engineers need to be well-versed in topics like standard deviation, probability, and models like Hidden Markov and Naive Bayes.

4. Language fluency

Yep, no surprises here. You’ll need to be fluent in a couple of languages to be a successful AI engineer. The most popular language amongst artificial intelligence engineers is Python, but it often turns out to be too little on its own. It’s important to have proficiency in multiple languages like C, C++ and Java.

5. Problem-solving and communication skills

AI engineers need to think out of the box. You’ll find there’s no set of rules or go-to guidelines you can adhere to if you’re ever in a pickle. AI often requires innovative use of machine learning models and creative thinking. You’ll also need to be able to communicate these ideas to your co-workers who may not have enough knowledge on the subject.

6. Neural Network knowledge

Another important skill you’re going to need is efficiency with neural networks. A neural network is a software that works similarly to a human brain, helping in pattern recognition, solving complex problems and conducting image classification, which is a massive part of how we use AI. AI engineers often spend a lot of time working with neural networks; thus, a good understanding of the subject is required.

7. Team management

You’ll likely work independently. However, some aspects allow you to communicate with humans, too, instead of just machines. As an AI engineer, you will need to communicate your ideas with numerous other engineers and developers. Therefore, communication and management skills come in handy . So while you’re solving math equations to prepare for your career, make sure you do it with people around you.

8. Cloud knowledge

Out of the many tricks AI engineers need to have under their belt, having a fair idea of what cloud architecture is, is right up there. Cloud architecture involves much more than just managing storage space, and knowing the difference between which secure storage system is best suited to your project will be extremely helpful.

The average AI engineer salary in 2020

The salary an AI engineer makes depends on experience, certification, and the location in which they’re working, but generally, they get paid pretty well. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for AI engineers in the US is $114,121 per year as of 2020. Other sources claim the salary goes as high as $248,625 for experienced AI engineers. It sounds like you’ll be able to afford your dream house in Silicon Valley in no time.

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As an AI engineer, your job is not monotonous by any means. New challenges and opportunities for innovative implementations of AI technology await every day. The demands and skills needed may seem intimidating, but the reward and compensation make it all worth it.