In this article, we’ll explore some of the emerging careers driven by the rise of AI, with special focus on the ones that could be the new careers of the future. And just to be clear, this article was written entirely by a human… or was it written by an AI?
The idea of creating machines capable of thinking and learning like human beings has fascinated scientists, writers, and philosophers since the beginning of computing. Alan Turing, known as the father of modern computing, was already wondering in the 1950s about the possibility of machines thinking. He proposed the famous “Turing Test” as a measure of machine intelligence. Since then, the search for this artificial intelligence has been a journey of discoveries, innovation, and challenges.
AI as we know it today has evolved from simple algorithms to complex neural networks that mimic how the human brain works. With the rise of Big Data and the exponential increase in computer processing power, AI is now present in almost every part of our lives, from virtual assistants on smartphones to advanced medical diagnosis.
However, to quote Uncle Ben:
In other words, and making a slight adjustment for current times: “With great progress comes great responsibility”.
Implementing AI raises ethical, social, and economic concerns, one of which is the fear that AI could replace human jobs. The truth is that throughout history, technological innovations have always made some careers obsolete. However, they have also paved the way for new opportunities and even helped to make our work more effective, rather than replacing it. This is the case with ChatGPT, a very useful tool for professionals in many different areas – you can read more about it in this article.
And while some traditional jobs are facing challenges or even becoming extinct due to automation, new opportunities are emerging, requiring a unique set of human and technical skills. It’s vital that, as a society, we are aware of these changes and be prepared to explore this new territory.
What is the Turing Test?
The Turing test suggests a simple experiment: if a person is talking to a computer and a human, without knowing who’s who, and after the conversation, can’t tell which one is the computer and which one is the human, then the computer is said to have passed the test and “thinks” like a human. Basically, it’s a way of measuring whether a machine can mimic human intelligence to the point of being indistinguishable from it.
The New Tech Careers Driven by AI
Now we’ll explore some of the emerging careers driven by the rise of AI with special focus on the ones that could be the new careers of the future.
And just to be clear, this article was written entirely by a human… or was it written by an AI?
1. AI Trainer
A pokemonAI Trainer, sometimes referred to as a “Supervised Learning Expert”, is responsible for ‘educating’ artificial intelligence models. They do this by providing data, adjusting parameters, and guiding the machine throughout its learning process. The purpose is that AI produces desired and optimized results for specific tasks.
We’ll now look at what skills are useful to become an AI Trainer.
Nice-to-have skills
- Technical Knowledge of Machine Learning: Having a solid understanding of the fundamentals of machine learning is crucial. This means understanding different types of algorithms, such as neural networks, support vector machines, random forests, etc.
- Programming Language Skills: Python and R are the most popular languages in data science and machine learning. Knowledge of libraries such as TensorFlow, Keras, and Scikit-learn is also important.
- Data Understanding: Knowing how to collect, clean, and organize data is a big part of AI training. It also implies an understanding of statistics and the ability to interpret and visualize data.
- Intuition and Creativity: Not everything in AI training is based on strict rules. It’s often a matter of intuition when adjusting parameters or deciding what type of data might be most relevant to train a model.
- Critical Thinking: It’s important to constantly evaluate AI performance, identify areas for improvement and make the necessary adjustments.
- Communication Skills: AI trainers often work in teams and need to share their methods, findings, and decisions with other professionals, both technical and non-technical.
Where to Start as an AI Trainer
- Formal Education: A degree in computer science, statistics, engineering, or similar is a good starting point. Many universities now offer specific courses in data science and machine learning.
- Online Courses: There are many courses available online, such as those offered by Coursera, Udacity, and edX, which cover the fundamentals of machine learning and AI training.
- Practical Projects: Start with small projects to get hands-on experience. For example, try creating and training a model for image recognition or time series forecasting.
- Networking: Join AI-related groups and communities. Attending conferences, workshops, and hackathons may also be an excellent means of learning and meeting people in the field.
- Certifications: Some organizations offer certifications in machine learning and AI. Although they are not always necessary, they can help validate your knowledge and skills in the field.
AI Training is a promising and growing career. With the increasingly widespread integration of AI across various sectors, the demand for qualified professionals is only set to increase. With passion, dedication, and the right set of skills, you can be at the forefront of this technological revolution.
2. AI Bias Auditor
An AI Bias Auditor is a professional that analyzes and reviews artificial intelligence algorithms to identify and correct biases and prejudices that may be embedded in them. With the broad adoption of AI in critical areas such as finance, health, and justice, ensuring that these systems make unbiased and fair decisions is vital. The auditor works to ensure that AIs do not perpetuate or amplify human prejudices.
In short, “bias” refers to non-random propensities or tendencies that can affect the accuracy and fairness of AI systems. Recognizing and addressing these biases is critical to ensure that AI benefits everyone in a fair way.
You can learn more about bias in data science and how to deal with this challenge here.
Nice-to-have skills
- Technical Knowledge of Machine Learning: Like the AI Trainer, the Bias Auditor needs to understand the algorithms and techniques underlying AI.
- Data Analysis: Ability to analyze data sets and identify potential biases and understand how they can influence AI results.
- Knowledge of Ethics and Legislation: Understanding the ethical and legal implications of AI use is vital, especially in regulated sectors.
- Critical Thinking: Ability to question and scrutinize systems, rather than accepting AI results as absolute truth.
- Communication Skills: Auditors need to explain their findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical teams.
- Knowledge of Sociology and Psychology: Understanding the nuances of human prejudices and how they manifest themselves is crucial to spotting biases in AIs.
Where to Start as an AI Bias Auditor
- Formal Education: Having a degree in computer science, ethics, sociology, or other related fields can provide a solid foundation.
- Online Courses: There are specialized courses in AI ethics and bias auditors that can help you deepen your knowledge.
- Taking Part in Research Groups: Join groups that study AI ethics and the social impacts of technology.
- Networking: Connect with professionals in the field. Attending conferences and workshops on AI ethics can be an excellent way of learning and networking.
- Certifications: While still not as common as in other areas of AI, certifications in AI ethics are starting to emerge and can be useful.
- Practical Experience: Take part in real projects to gain experience in identifying and mitigating biases in AI systems.
The career of AI Bias Auditor is extremely important nowadays, where AI has a growing influence on people’s lives. Ensuring that these systems are fair and impartial is not only a technical responsibility, but also an ethical, and social one.
3. AI Prompt Optimizer
A Prompt Optimizer works specifically with language models, such as those based on OpenAI’s GPT architecture. The “prompt” is the instruction or question provided to the model. The way this prompt is phrased may greatly influence the AI’s response. The Prompt Optimizer therefore works to refine and structure these instructions, ensuring that the AI understands and responds in the most accurate, relevant, and useful way possible.
Nice-to-have skills
- Knowledge of Linguistics: Understanding the structure and nuances of language is critical to formulating effective prompts.
- Knowledge of Language Models: Having a basic understanding of how language models work, their limitations, and capabilities.
- Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze and assess AI responses to different prompts and make the necessary adjustments.
- Creativity: Creating effective prompts often requires thinking “outside the box” and the ability to approach problems from different angles.
- Communication Skills: Optimizers may need to work in teams and share their strategies and findings with other team members.
Where to Start as an AI Prompt Optimizer
- Language Study: A background in linguistics, communication, or related fields may be helpful.
- Experience with Language Models: Start experimenting with models like OpenAI’s GPT, testing different prompts, and evaluating your responses.
- Involvement in Communities: Join forums and online communities dedicated to language models and AI.
- Specific Courses: Although it’s still a fairly new area, there are online courses and workshops focused on optimizing prompts and language models.
- Collaboration: Take part in collaborative projects to get hands-on experience and feedback from other enthusiasts or professionals.
The career of AI Prompt Optimizer is a fascinating intersection between linguistics and technology. As language models become more and more advanced and integrated into several applications, the ability to communicate effectively with them through carefully worded prompts will become increasingly valuable.
The New Tech Careers Driven by AI – Final Thoughts
The new careers we present here – AI Trainer, Bias Auditor and AI Prompt Optimizer – are just the tip of the iceberg of a vast ocean of possibilities that technology is unlocking in the progress of AI.
These emerging careers remind us that, while AI and technology are making great progress, the human essence – our ability to question, create, communicate, and adapt – remains irreplaceable. Instead of fearing the unknown, we are invited to embrace it, shape it and become protagonists of this new technological revolution.
The future is not a blank canvas for aspiring professionals and technology enthusiasts (like me), but an invitation. An invitation to learn, innovate, and impact the world in ways we are only just beginning to imagine. There are endless possibilities, and the future of AI is not just about intelligent machines, but inspired and empowered humans, ready to lead the next wave of progress.
So my question for you is: How do you choose to position yourself in this exciting future?
This is definitely a moment to take ownership and reimagine the role of technology: instead of worrying about what technology is capable of, think about what you’re capable of by using technology!
