AI Engineers: What They Do and How to Become One

The most in-demand jobs are data scientists, software engineers, and machine learning engineers, but career opportunities in artificial intelligence can span a wide array of disciplines. If you envision yourself in the healthcare industry, then a concentration in biomedical engineering could be perfect. If robotics, self-driving vehicles, or drones are more your speed, then a path in machine learning or autonomous systems could open an exciting field for you. Whichever route you choose, the marketable skills you’ll receive from this program are sure to prepare you for a challenging career in AI. Earning a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in artificial intelligence can be a worthwhile way to learn more about the field, develop key skills to begin—or advance—your career, and graduate with a respected credential. While specific AI programs are still relatively limited compared to, say, computer science, there are a growing number of options to explore at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

As a new academic degree, this program is not currently accepting applications from international students seeking an F-1 visa. This program will accept applications from international students who are required to have an I-20 as soon as authorization from the Department of Homeland Security is received. Whether you live far from campus or close by, the MS in Artificial Intelligence is designed to accommodate your life and goals with our leading-edge Cyber Classroom learning format. It allows you to tailor your learning experience with the convenient 100% online format, the face-to-face interaction of the classroom, or a combination of both.

The Ohio State University

Established in 2018, this top-ranked program has become one of the best AI engineer degree programs in the world. If you’re looking to become an artificial intelligence engineer, a master’s degree is highly recommended, and in some positions, required. Artificial intelligence (AI) is still a mysterious concept to many, but one thing is certain — the field of AI is rich with career opportunities. Based on 74% annual growth and demand across nearly all industries, LinkedIn recently named artificial intelligence specialist as a top emerging job — with data scientist ranking #3 and data engineer #8.

The interview process often kicks off with a phone screening where you’ll be asked general questions about your interest in the position, as well as any clarifying questions related to the information on your resume. You should also be given time to ask any general questions you have for the recruiter. If the phone screening goes well, the next step is usually a technical interview. AI engineers need to have a combination of technical and nontechnical business skills.

Alternatives to earning your degree in AI

AI engineering is the process of combining systems engineering principles, software engineering, computer science, and human-centered design to create intelligent systems that can complete certain tasks or reach certain goals. To better explain AI engineering, it is important to discuss AI engineers, or some of the people behind making intelligent machines. AI engineers work with large volumes of data to create intelligent machines. Sophisticated algorithms help businesses in all industries including banking, transportation, healthcare, and entertainment.

The finance industry uses AI to detect fraud and the healthcare industry uses AI for drug discovery. The manufacturing industry uses AI to reshape the supply chain and enterprises use it to reduce environmental impacts and make better predictions. AI engineers are in demand across various industries, including technology, healthcare, automotive, finance, entertainment, and more. This is generally with a master’s degree and the median years of work experience required by current job listings, so candidates with a higher degree or greater experience can likely expect higher salaries.

Master’s Degree

If leveling coursework is needed, students may be required to take undergraduate leveling courses to prepare for coursework in the concentration of their choice. Concentration areas focus on machine learning, biomedical engineering, and autonomous systems, offering students the opportunity to choose their own career path. Subsequently, the future of artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence artificial intelligence engineer degree engineers is promising. Many industry professionals believe that strong versions of AI will have the capabilities to think, feel, and move like humans, whereas weak AI—or most of the AI we use today—only has the capacity to think minimally. It’s important to have some experience in AI engineering to find a suitable position. The majority of offers come from big firms with more than 10,000 employees.

As for grad students, the MS in HCI Design merges technology and creativity in a program that’s solution-oriented and project based. This graduate degree is also available as a track in the Ph.D. in Informatics. One of the most robust and rigorous artificial intelligence programs for undergraduates is at University of Pennsylvania. Instead of opting for a specific concentration, AI students agree to a dual degree program in Computer and Cognitive Science. As one of the top artificial intelligence schools, Stanford University offers several related degrees.

Everyday examples of AI engineering

The MS in Artificial Intelligence offers a curriculum that allows students to personalize their degree through concentration courses and electives based on their academic and career aspirations. Through rigorous study, students can improve their skills in problem-solving, technical support and training, and software/hardware management. Our program is open to high-achieving students from engineering, computer science, math, and science-related backgrounds. Each applicant’s transcripts will be reviewed to determine if their background is suitable for admission into the concentration of their choice and/or if leveling coursework is required.

AI engineering is a specialized field that has promising job growth and tends to pay well. The course AI for Everyone breaks down artificial intelligence to be accessible for those who might not need to understand the technical side of AI. If you want a crash course in the fundamentals, this class can help you understand key concepts and spot opportunities to apply AI in your organization. Three colleges at the University of Cincinnati collaborated to develop a semi-autonomous drone that can be dispatched right to people’s homes. The AESOP experience had a major personal impact on Mnich and he encourages anyone who is interested in the program to take the leap and go for it. He shared that there is such a positive outlook for the commercial aviation industry domestically and globally, making this program ideal for professional growth.