Emerging Job Roles for Successful AI Teams

By AI Trends Staff
Many job descriptions across organizations will require at least some use of AI in the coming years, creating opportunities for the savvy to learn about AI and advance their careers regardless of discipline.
New job titles have and will emerge to help the organization execute on AI strategy. Machine learning engineers have cemented a leading role on the AI team, for example, taking first place on best jobs listed on Indeed last year, according to a recent rapport in CIO . And AI specialists were the top job in LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs report, with 74% annual growth in the last four years. This was followed by robot engineer and data scientist.
The number of AI-related jobs could increase globally by up to 16%, stated Ritu Jyoti, Program VP, AI Research with IDC IT consultants. With AI generating productivity returns during the pandemic, interest is growing. “IDC believes that AI spending and employment will increase among healthcare providers, education, insurance, pharmaceutical companies and federal governments,” she stated.
Ritu Jyoti, Program VP, AI Research, IDC Here are some new AI roles taking shape:
Chief AI Officers will understand how AI technology can be exploited by the business, will help develop the company’s AI strategy and explain it to the board, other executives, employees and customers. Will work with the CIO to implement the AI strategy.
One example is Nicole Eagan, chief AI officer at Darktrace, the cybersecurity firm. She splits her time working with in-house technology teams, talking to customers, and evangelizing the firm’s AI strategy.
“I work with the CTO and our AI lab to explore new areas for research and development,” stated Eagan, who has a background in strategic marketing at Oracle. She works with a highly-qualified staff of AI experts. “We have over 35 PhDs with advanced math, machine learning and AI expertise who are working in our labs,” she stated.
The AI Ethics Officer covers risk and governance and may need to coordinate with government agencies, nonprofits, legal teams, users and privacy groups as well as technology teams.
Nicole Eagan, chief AI officer, Darktrace Kathy Baxter is architect for ethical AI practice at Salesforce.com, with a background in user experience research at Google, eBay and Oracle. She combines a passion for technology with a healthy skepticism. “AI is not magic and is not appropriate for every challenge,” she stated.
AI ethics officers in her view do not need to be computer scientists or data scientists. “What is more important is to have a humanistic background like psychology, sociology, philosophy, or human-computer interaction,” she stated. “It is critical to focus on understanding everyone impacted by technology, their needs, context, and values.”
With a masters degree in human factors engineering and an undergraduate degree in applied...