STEM + AI = a future career you can bank on
The World Economic Forum predicts that AI will create 97 million new jobs by 2025. And when you combine skills in STEM with AI, you open up so many careers it would be impossible to list them all! Here are a handful already in demand.
1. Data scientist
With the average salary for a data scientist already topping $95,000, sticking with maths makes a lot of sense. That’s what Asli Yoruk, associate data scientist with the Commonwealth Bank did, and now she helps find valuable insights in the large amounts of data generated by the bank.
2. Researcher
If you want to be at the cutting edge of AI as it evolves, then a career as a researcher is a good place to start. New Zealand AI researcher Punahamoa ‘Puna’ Walker is building software that can speak to Indigenous communities in their language, combining STEM + social good to make a difference in the world.
3. Machine learning engineer
Machine learning engineers take coding to the next level by creating software that can evolve to do its job better. If you like the idea of understanding how the algorithms behind social media like TikTok actually work, thwn this could be the career for you.
You can see some real machine learning engineers in action in our Job Kit.
4. AI prompt engineer
If you’re into writing and solving problems, then this gig will see you using those skills to help teach AIs.
A prompt engineer could design and fine-tune the prompts given to AI systems (like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard) to get more accurate, helpful and appropriate responses.
This job might require a mix of linguistics, computer science and even psychology or sociology. You’ll need to understand not just human language, but also how computers can best mimic it.
5. Entrepreneur
As emerging technology, AI offers people with an entrepreneurial skill set the opportunity to build the next big business, whether it be an AI model, app or product. Like Camille Goldstone-Henry who launched a data and AI platform to help organisations working on species conservation to share information and make decisions.
6. Programmer
Coding skills remain in hot demand, and with AI there are even more opportunities, like programming for the metaverse, or helping build an intelligent chatbot.
7. Robotics engineer
It’s not just software products that require AI engineers, physical robots are also being designed with in-built AI. Australia is a leading player in mining, infrastructure and agricultural automation, so working as an engineer in one of these industries is likely to be a long and rewarding career.
