Careers in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Blockchain
Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency technologies are developing exponentially and finding their place across a growing number of industries. As a result, Blockchain and AI expertise became the most sought-after skills in the U.S. job market. With both of these branches surging in popularity, career prospects in respective industries look very promising, leading to one question: what are the benefits of a blockchain vs. machine learning career?
We're here to answer that question, inform you about prospective jobs within the IT and tech industry, and reveal the skill set you'll need to master to pursue a career in blockchain and/or machine learning.
Basic skills and knowledge to become an AI, machine learning, or blockchain developer
Being interested in machine learning or blockchain development is one thing, but acquiring skills and knowledge to work in the field is entirely different. It's worth noting that while these career choices usually do not require an academic degree in either area, they do require certain skills and knowledge.
A career in artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, will typically require you to output software components that integrate into larger ecosystems. To expertly operate in this field, you need knowledge of computer science fundamentals and programming, understanding probabilities and statistics, and data modeling. You also need to be well-versed in the application of machine learning algorithms and libraries and software engineering and design.
A career in blockchain and crypto requires a somewhat different set of skills, given that blockchain developers usually work as full-stack developers. This accentuates great expertise in server-side programming, fantastic analytical skills, and skills like Microsoft SQL Server, NET, Python, JavaScript, C, C++, REST, FTP, and MYSQL.
Benefits of pursuing a career in AI and Crypto
There are numerous benefits of pursuing a career in machine learning or blockchain. People working in the information technology (IT) and computer industry are ranked among the happiest employees for several reasons:
- Rapid industry growth — Computer and IT jobs are on the rise, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs will increase 13% from 2016 to 2026. This is considerably faster growth than the average 5% to 9% rate across all other industries. That means that the tech industry is rapidly expanding from Silicon Valley into other areas, creating approximately half a million jobs in the next five years.
- You don't need a degree — Surprisingly, in-demand technology jobs like cryptocurrency, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning don't require an academic degree, though having one doesn't hurt. These days, companies emphasize concentrated educational programs that offer front- and back-end web development training, provided that you already possess the relevant technical skills.
- Lucrative career choices – Tech jobs in blockchain and machine learning development are well-compensated, even ones that don't require higher education. The average salary for a Machine Learning Engineer in the U.S. is approx. $145,000, while Blockchain engineers make anywhere between $130,000 and $150,000.
- More job opportunities — Choosing a career in blockchain technology, data science, machine learning, or software development means you can work across various industries. For example, these career choices will allow you to pursue opportunities in financial services, government, cybersecurity, health care, and other organizations, ranging from start-ups to industry conglomerates.
- Fantastic work-life balance — Earning a generous salary associated with machine learning and blockchain careers makes less sense if you don't have the time to spend what you earned. Luckily, computer and IT careers usually provide an excellent work-life balance, and in some cases, they allow techies to work remotely from home.
Career opportunities in artificial intelligence and blockchain
Due to the surging demands for AI and Blockchain technologies across a wide array of industries, the opportunities for a promising career in artificial intelligence have skyrocketed. Thus, we have compiled a list of good job opportunities in IT.
Big Data Engineer — Big data engineers create ecosystems for other business systems to interact efficiently. As such, their primary task is data administration and data analysis. This career path is suitable for those keen to play with cutting-edge tech tools and often earn a good salary compared to other AI roles. However, this career choice requires extensive knowledge of Python, Java, and SQL.
Business Intelligence Developer — BI developers use business intelligence software to interpret and display complicated data sets. They're often responsible for troubleshooting current business and work methods to improve the company's research process, and thus, its profits. Data analytics, computer programming, and dealing with complex cloud computing data are essential skills for this career path.
Data Scientist — Data scientists assist in data gathering and data analysis to gain constructive inferences, which help tackle various issues tied with the business. Data scientists make multiple predictions based on different data patterns and previous and present information. A master's degree in computer science and years of experience in machine learning will significantly increase applicants' chances of landing a job.
Machine Learning Engineer — These individuals are involved in the development of software that facilitates machine learning. In-depth knowledge of machine learning algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning is required. In addition, of course, familiarity with software development, cloud computing, and programming will provide a significant advantage for programmers and other job applicants.
Research Scientist — Research scientists are responsible for designing, undertaking, and analyzing information regarding machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. Significant knowledge of Natural Language Processing, deep learning, machine intelligence, and applied mathematics is essential to a research scientist.
How AI, machine learning, and blockchain are transforming the industries today
AI, automation, machine learning, and blockchain rapidly and effectively read, process, correlate, and store data, bringing speed and increased efficiency to various industries. Congregating these technologies help improve manufacturing and logistics efficiency and helps facilitate energy exchange. Industries like healthcare, financial services, and various other businesses are now hiring talented Machine Learning and Blockchain developers, offering abundant career options.
Summary
Due to the immense benefits, many industries today are integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technologies into their manufacturing processes, logistics, and services. Of course, these companies offer prospective job positions, so if you're interested in finding the latest IT/Technology jobs, check out Quadrant, a staffing firm that will help you land the best IT position for your unique skill set.