According to PwC’s 2024 AI jobs barometer report, the demand for jobs requiring specialized AI skills has grown sevenfold since 2016. It is three times the growth rate of other job types.
This article lists 12 AI jobs that stand out because of their high pay.
AI Software Engineer
AI software engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and implementing AI systems. These systems help organizations cut costs, increase efficiency, improve profits, and make better business decisions.
A Gartner survey revealed that 56% of software engineering leaders consider AI engineers as one of the most in-demand roles in 2024. The average salary of an AI software engineer is approximately $147,524 a year, making it a lucrative career for AI enthusiasts.
NLP Engineer
Natural Language Processing (NLP) engineers are in high demand because they can design and build systems that facilitate communication between machines and humans. They develop algorithms and models to process text data, which helps build applications like sentiment analysis tools, language translation services, chatbots, etc.
NLP jobs have witnessed a growth of 155%, making it one of the most desirable professions for 2024 and beyond. The average salary for NLP engineers in the United States is approximately $107,282 a year.
AI Architect
AI architects design and implement the foundational framework for a company’s AI systems. You can view them as strategic leaders who plan and build the company’s AI infrastructure by working alongside a team of data scientists, developers, and other team members. Their primary role is to optimize business processes and drive ethical innovation through AI optimization. The average annual pay offered to an AI architect is $128,756 (approximately).
Machine Learning Engineer
Machine learning engineers are specialists in building and deploying models that enable computers/machines to learn from data and improve automatically. While their job is demanding and involves multiple responsibilities, they’re primarily hired to clean and prepare data and design algorithms. They also train models for tasks like product recommendations, trend predictions, image recognition, etc. Indeed has reported a 35% rise in the job postings for machine learning engineers, highlighting their growing relevance. Their average base salary is approximately $161,385 per year.
AI Product Manager
AI product managers are hired to oversee the development of AI-driven products and services. They define the product’s goals and ensure AI capabilities meet user needs. All product managers require a healthy mix of technical understanding and business acumen to translate AI technology into valuable products. Their job also requires them to act as a bridge between stakeholders and technical teams to manage project timelines, identify business opportunities, and prioritize features. The average annual salary offered to an AI product manager is $159,405.
Computer Vision Engineer
Computer vision engineers are specialists who develop systems that facilitate computers to process and interpret visual data. Their job is to make machines ‘see’ and understand the world around them, just like humans do. They perform this task using deep learning frameworks and training models with large datasets. A computer vision engineer in the United States earns an annual base salary of approximately $125,502.
AI Scientist
AI scientists have a unique job role. Their primary work revolves around researching, developing, and implementing innovative AI technologies. They push the boundaries of AI’s capabilities by improving machine learning models, creating more human-like natural language understanding, etc. The average annual salary of an AI scientist in the USA is approximately $122,738.
AI Researcher
AI researchers may share similarities with AI scientists, but they’re not exactly the same profession. AI researchers are focused more on exploring new AI technologies and methodologies to solve complex problems or improve existing systems. They undertake various responsibilities like studying AI’s ethical implications, creating new algorithms, developing innovative applications, etc. An AI researcher in the United States receives an average salary of $143,184 a year.
AI Security Specialist
As the name suggests, these professionals are responsible for safeguarding AI systems by identifying vulnerabilities, implementing security measures, and responding to potential threats. AI security specialists maintain the integrity and confidentiality of AI applications and the information they possess. They handle multiple tasks, such as designing secure AI architectures, monitoring AI systems for suspicious activities, conducting risk assessments, etc. The average annual salary for an AI security specialist is approximately $120,561.
Robotics Engineer
The demand for robotics engineers has surged in recent years. The USA alone expects to hire 9,000 robotics engineers by 2032. Robotics engineers are professionals who design, build, test, and maintain robots and robotic systems. They essentially use computer, mechanical, and electrical engineering principles to create robotic machines capable of performing various tasks. While their job demands multiple responsibilities, they mainly focus on conceptualizing robot designs, component selection & integration, programming robots, building prototypes, and more. The average salary of robotics engineers is approximately $105,605 a year.
Business Intelligence (BI) Developer
BI developers are technical professionals who specialize in designing tools and systems that enable businesses to make data-driven decisions. They typically create reports, dashboards, and data models to analyze trends, forecasts, performance metrics, etc. Business Intelligence (BI) developers use sophisticated software like Power BI and Tableau to turn complex data into easy-to-understand insights. The average salary of business intelligence (BI) developers is approximately $110,000 a year.
AI Consultant
Since AI became widespread, AI consultants have become one of the most sought after professionals. They help organizations adopt and implement AI technologies relevant to their business operations. The primary goal of AI consultants is to help businesses reduce costs, improve efficiency, and drive innovation. Since AI has become non-negotiable for every business, most organizations need AI consultants to assess their needs, recommend suitable AI tools, and create personalized strategies for integration. The average salary of AI consultants is approximately $141,220 a year.
