Wouldn’t it be great to get in at the ground level when it comes to emerging and soon-to-be lucrative jobs?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping industries, unlocking new opportunities for professionals with the right skills—and these opportunities are only growing.
In fact, the global AI market is expected to reach $1.81 trillion by 2030. With hyper-growth like that, new and exciting artificial jobs will emerge as needed. Another study by Forbes found that around 4 in 5 companies deem AI to be a top priority in their business strategy.
From engineering to ethics and creative content, a wide range of lucrative roles will need to be filled by expert-level individuals. To make the issue even more pressing, companies are heading into this unpredictable market and racing nose-to-nose to a finish line that isn’t quite clear—yet.
Organizations building and expanding their AI programs need to grow quickly. To do so, they need the right talent with the right skills.
The fastest-growing skill set in the labor market should come as no surprise. It’s generative AI modeling. This skill set centers on building and training genAI models.
Some regard artificial intelligence as a scary robot computer coming for their jobs. Those same worriers should find relief in this fact: AI models cannot train themselves. They need a human touch.
Any AI tool can only be as strong as the humans (yes, real humans!) training and perfecting it.
What They Do:
Machine learning engineers are responsible for designing and implementing algorithms that allow systems to learn and improve from data input over time. They also create software that can analyze data and identify patterns.
Their work powers applications like recommendation engines, predictive analytics, and autonomous systems.
Earnings:
Hourly: $75–$150 | Annual: $133,000–$213,000+ (per Glassdoor)
Skills Needed:
What They Do:
According to Forbes, AI Prompt Engineers have the "hot, new high-paying career." Prompt engineers collaborate with software developers to optimize human-AI interactions by crafting precise prompts for generative AI models. This enable AI models to produce better results for tasks like content creation or data analysis.
Earnings:
Hourly: $60–$120 | Annual: $200,000–$300,000 (per LinkedIn)
Skills Needed:
What They Do:
For those who are afraid that robots will take over the world, fear not. AI Ethicists are here to...save the day?
To ensure that artificial intelligence is developed and used in a responsible and beneficial way, AI Ethicists develop guidelines to ensure AI systems align with ethical principles. These are designed to avoid harm, address bias, protect privacy, and prioritize fairness concerns—all while keeping stakeholders happy.
Earnings:
Hourly: $50–$110 | Annual: $79,000–$189,000 (per ZipRecruiter)
Skills Needed
What They Do:
Data Scientists are analytical and statistical experts who analyze and interpret large datasets to derive actionable insights and develop predictive models. Data scientists have a reputation for acting as the backbone of AI system development.
Earnings:
Hourly: $50–$120 | Annual: $128,000–$208,000 (per Glassdoor)
Skills Needed
What They Do
Like their management brethren, AI Operations Managers oversee the deployment and maintenance of AI systems, ensuring seamless integration with business processes.
Earnings
Hourly: $70–$140 | Annual: $135,000–$220,000 (per ZipRecruiter)
Skills Needed
What They Do
Data Annotators are the brains behind all AI models. They are responsible for accurately labeling and categorizing data to train AI systems. Their work is foundational for supervised machine learning and accurate AI model predictions.
Earnings
Hourly: $15–$30 | Annual: $30,000–$50,000 (per Glassdoor*)
Skills Needed
*Data annotator salaries and hourly earnings can vary widely, depending on expertise, location, and industry. Don't worry, we have a report on AI Compensation to give a better idea of that data annotators can expect to earn.
What They Do
AI content writers are tasked with creating engaging, AI-driven content. This can include virtually any form of written content, including blogs, marketing materials, social media posts, and technical documentation. AI content writers often collaborate with AI tools to enhance productivity.
Earnings
Hourly: $25–$80 | Annual: $50,000–$120,000 (per ZipRecruiter)
Skills Needed
What They Do
If this job description sounds vaguely religious to you, then it did its job. An AI Evangelist is plays a role that is one part hype person and one part educator. Like any good evangelist, these facts have a deep knowledge of artificial intelligence and a passionate belief in the positive impact it can bring to the world.
These evangelists promote AI technologies by educating businesses, developers, and the public. They act as ambassadors, public relations professionals, and marketers. At the core of their work is advocating for AI adoption and showcasing its value.
Earnings
Hourly: $50–$100 | Annual: $110,000–$309,000 (per Glassdoor)
Skills Needed
AI companies frequently rely on contingent workers to manage high-volume, repetitive tasks like data annotation, testing, and quality control. Contract workers also support short-term projects, such as refining AI-generated content or developing prompts for specific applications.
Benefits of Contract AI Workers:
While contingent workers play a critical role, their compensation tends to be lower and dependent on location. While some US-based specialty data annotators can earn a higher hourly wage (depending on their industry), generalist data annotators tend to earn less. This is especially true when compared to the higher rates of full-time AI professionals.
However, these roles provide entry points into the industry. Data annotators can use these roles to gain valuable exposure to cutting-edge technologies and grow their careers in artificial intelligence from there.
