How to Become an Artificial Intelligence Specialist in 2022

What does an Artificial Intelligence Specialist do?

An Artificial Intelligence specialist is someone familiar and able to implement AI technologies and platforms. The practice of Artificial Intelligence is as a result of adapting human intelligence in machines and programming them to reason and reproduce actions like humans. The role of an AI specialist means you work on systems that gather information, decide, and act on the information. With their expertise, specialists are making an impact in health, finance, education, and several other industries. Some AI specialists have bachelor’s degrees while most of them have specialization in masters and doctorate degrees. For you to qualify as an AI specialist, you must have an education based on the foundations of math, technology, logic, and engineering perspectives. The key contribution of an AI specialist is using emerging technologies, such as machine learning (ML) and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to creatively solve business problems and provide greater insight.

What skills do you need to become an Artificial Intelligence Specialist?

The Artificial Intelligence field is a highly scientific field that requires a great deal of education, training, and focus. Hard skills and soft skills are very critical to have when it comes to performing essential AI specialist’s job responsibilities. The following are some technical and non-technical skills you will need to possess as an AI specialist:

• Programming Skills: Programming is one of the most important skills to possess as an AI specialist. It is crucial to learn programming languages such as Python, R, Java, and C++ to become well-versed in artificial intelligence.
  Linear Algebra, Probability, and Statistics. To understand and implement different AI models, you need to be very knowledgeable with linear algebra, probability, and statistics. The models include Hidden Markov models, Naive Bayes, Gaussian mixture models, and linear discriminant analysis.
• Communication and Problem-Solving Skills: You will be required to have good communication skills to pitch your ideas to stakeholders and team members through oral and written communication. Problem-solving skills will come in handy to help resolve obstacles for business decision-making and drawing valuable business insights.
• Big Data Technologies: As an AI specialist, you will be handling huge volumes of data, which could be in terabytes or petabytes of streaming or real-time production data. Big data technologies include Apache Spark, Hadoop, Cassandra, MongoDB.
• Algorithms and Frameworks: An AI specialist is required to learn how machine learning algorithms such as KNN, Naive Bayes, linear regression, Support Vector Machine work. These algorithms and frameworks help you to easily understand and implement machine learning which is required to build AI models. Some of these frameworks include PyTorch, Theano, TensorFlow, and Caffe.
• Rapid Prototyping:  This one helps in forming different techniques to fasten developing a scale model. It is critical to work on the perfect idea with the minimum time consumed.

What are the responsibilities of an Artificial Intelligence Specialist?

• Build AI models from scratch and help stakeholders and product managers understand what results they gain from them
• Perform statistical analysis and adjust the results to help the organization make better-informed decisions
• Design training manuals and create online learning to help team members learn about the systems
• Set up and manage AI development and product infrastructure
• Convert the machine learning models into application program interfaces (APIs) to be used by other applications
• Be a good team player to help coordinate with others

A day in the life of an Artificial Intelligence Specialist

There isn’t necessarily a typical day for you as an AI specialist because it’s a vast role with many tasks to be performed. Some days you will be required to design or tweak machine learning models, sometimes develop software, while some other time you will be required to research and study the field to stay up to date.

There are, however, things that stay consistent even as others change. They include checking emails, daily coding and implementing models, having meetings with team members and stakeholders, familiarizing yourself with the company’s domain, checking existing models, and code reviewing.

Career prospects and job outlook for an Artificial Intelligence Specialist

The field of artificial intelligence is still in its infancy stage and has only recently started to grow rapidly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s an expected 16 percent growth rate in computer and information science jobs between 2018 and 2028., which is higher than the growth rate of all jobs. This shouldn’t be much affected by an economic downturn like COVID-19 which has in fact seen the technology world exploding. The AI job market is huge and you shouldn’t be afraid to choose a career in it. Some of the top-rated jobs in artificial intelligence include the following:

• Machine learning engineer
• AI research scientist
• Software developer
• Automation and robotics engineer
• Business intelligence developer
• Data analyst
• Computer Vision Engineer
• Cybersecurity specialist

Top 5 Artificial Intelligence Specialist books you MUST read!

• The Master Algorithm by Pedro Domingos: This book focuses more on the philosophy behind machine learning and AI than the data side. It will teach you how machine learning and AI work at companies like Google and Amazon.
• Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: This book provides you with the latest AI latest thought process and its potential in transforming the future than any other technology. It covers various viewpoints and controversial issues and is perfect for those wondering how AI may impact their daily lives in the near future.
• Rebooting AI by Garrett Smith: This book decodes big data and big learning’s increasing worry about the safety and reliability of AI. It tries to encourage a broader view of AI by revisiting classical AI camps and disciplines dating 40-50 years back, which is integral to the advancement of artificial intelligence.
• Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AIT: This book focuses on the business implications of AI, especially how companies are using AI to innovate and grow. It provides a practical blueprint for business leaders who want to capitalize on the AI revolution.
• Thinking, fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman: This book contains stories and reflections of findings and will convince you that the human mind functions in very different ways from the rational, logical processes we believe we do. It will help you understand how the human brain works, which is what is mostly reproduced in AI.

Best online platforms for Artificial Intelligence Specialist courses

• AI For Everyone: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-for-everyone
• Machine Learning: https://www.coursera.org/learn/machine-learning
• Artificial Intelligence A-Z™: Learn How to Build An AI: https://www.udemy.com/share/101Wpy/
• Learn from ML experts at Google: https://ai.google/education/
• DeepLearning.AI TensorFlow Developer Professional Certificate: https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/tensorflow-in-practice
• The school of Artificial Intelligence: https://www.udacity.com/school-of-ai
• Introduction to Machine Learning Concepts for Absolute Beginners Skillshare: https://skl.sh/31PbHjr

Conclusion

A career as an Artificial Intelligence Specialist demands education in order to advance. Another way you can advance is by becoming a head of a research group, move to management, or start your own development company. Technology is only growing and AI is widely being accepted with many seeing it now as an additional ‘make work easier’ tool rather than their replacement. This means that a career as an AI specialist could be the best decision you make. In this article, we have covered all the information and resources that you need to make up your mind on whether being an AI specialist is what fits you.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links are affiliate links and at no additional cost to you.