The four questions to ask yourself.
It’s no secret that robotics and robots are having a huge impact on the workforce. Already many jobs that were traditionally done by humans are now being done by machines, and it’s only increasing and that’s across the board, from production lines to driverless cars.
The rise of the robots is being driven by our huge advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years and it's continuing to be a huge growth sector. The number of artificial intelligence (AI) specialists in the world is estimated to be over 100,000 and growing as AI is fast becoming the backbone of technological advancement.
If you’ve always wanted to be part of creating the future, if the world of AI is something that fascinates you and if you want to make sure we stay ethical as we hand things over to the robots, now is the time to take advantage of this thriving discipline and upskill in AI.
But is a career in AI is right for you? Ask yourself these questions to better understand if you and AI are a good fit.
1. Do I love data and working with complex data sets?
AI is based on data – information that has been analysed for patterns on which future decisions can be made. We learn what decisions give which outcomes and form patterns based on our experience of this. So do machines.
In order to do that, we need to teach machines how to learn. Machine learning - programming for data-driven decision making - is a subset of AI and it’s a specialty of its own.
If you’re curious about what data can tell us, if you have an inquisitive nature, if finding patterns and looking for answers is something that fascinates you, then a career in the field of AI might be perfect for you.
Bonus points if you are comfortable with model building and/or data visualisation – and if you’re not, then you can easily upskill with relevant short courses and microcredentials.
AI, machine learning and data visualisation professionals are needed in every industry across the globe, so master these skills and you too could be working on new technologies like transforming agriculture, keeping our beaches safe or whole host of other problem-solving initiatives.
2. Am I a creative problem solver?
To be a professional in AI, you need to be a creative problem solver. You’ll use your problem-solving skills to work out how to develop algorithms so that AI can progress beyond tackling basic problems and evolve to higher order innovative solutions.
While images of AI conjure up the machine in control, we are still an exceptionally long way from that. Right now, it is vitally important that AI development is powered by human brains who can think laterally and make connections between abstract concepts. Check out this case study on machine learning and how it’s improving your daily commute.
3. Am I committed to continuous learning?
These technologies are evolving fast so, to be a specialist in this field, you will need to commit to continual learning to keep up with the latest AI tools and techniques in algorithmic development, data analysis, machine learning and natural language processing.
This is a field where giant leaps are happening every week, month and year, and those changes will occur in even shorter intervals as advancements happen faster.
The more you stay ahead of the curve, the more in demand you’ll be as a professional so a commitment to lifelong learning is a must!
4. Am I empathetic?
This may seem like a strange one, but if AI is going to be used for the benefit of humans, then humans – being complex social creatures – will better respond to technology that has the capacity for empathy. Future AI will require empathy to be taught. To enable this, successful AI practitioners need to understand and practice empathy and other human skills themselves.
If you answered ‘yes’ to all of the above, then a career in AI could be perfect for you!
Jump start your career in data science, analytics, programming, AI and machine learning today with one of our microcredentials or short courses. We’ll help you achieve your career goals sooner and get ahead today.
