5 High-Paying Jobs in Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is one of the fastest growing career fields at the moment, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting that demand for certain jobs in AI will increase by over 30% in the next several years. Those who are looking to get into a career in the field will be on the cutting-edge of the next technological revolution, all while making some serious cash. Here are some of the highest paying jobs in artificial intelligence.

Natural Language Processing Engineer

If you’re particularly interested in human language, this job might be for you. Natural language processing (NLP) engineers are experts in the field of spoken and written language as it relates to artificial intelligence. NLP technology is often implemented in the development of speech recognition software or used in document processing. If you’ve ever used a voice assistant on your smart phone or device, you’ve experienced the magic of NLP technology.

Those who want to start a career as an NLP engineer should go for a degree in computational linguistics. Other related fields of study are computer science, mathematics, and statistics. As an NLP engineer, you can make anywhere between $80,000 and $100,000.

Business Intelligence Developer

These professionals specialize in analyzing data sets and identifying trends, and often have experience with structured query language (SQL) and data mining. Because of this, business intelligence developers are highly sought-after, particularly in the financial services industry. Here, the business intelligence developer can make informed investment decisions based on data collected through market analysis.

To become a business intelligence developer, you’ll need to get yourself a bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering. This career path commands an average salary of anywhere between $86,000 to $130,000 per year.

Robotics Engineer

Now that AI has thrown its virtual hat into the robotics arena, many industries will experience their next big leap. For example, AI can be used in the healthcare industry to make robotic surgery more accurate, and can also be leveraged in assembly line robots or…gulp…humanoid robots. Robotics engineers are responsible for building and working with these AI-powered robots, which is incredibly exciting—but, uh, just don’t build Skynet, okay?

This career path typically requires a master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or other related studies. As a robotics engineer you can expect to make between $80,000 and $130,000 per year depending on your level of experience and area of expertise.

Big Data Engineer

This role is somewhat similar to that of a data scientist, albeit on a much larger scale. Big data engineers are responsible for analyzing, evaluating, and managing particularly vast data sets in a variety of industries. Here, you’ll be helping a company maximize its efficiency and its profits so that better, more informed business decisions can be made.

This job is not for the faint of heart, and often requires a PhD in computer science, mathematics, or another related field. At this point, you’re basically a doctor and you know how important an organization’s bottom line is, so it stands to reason that the average salary for this role is around $150,000 per year.

Machine Learning Engineer

As a machine learning engineer you’ll be tasked with developing and implementing AI systems that are responsible for machine learning. Through machine learning, AI systems can be greatly improved and expanded upon, which could lead to all kinds of crazy stuff in the future. These professionals are particularly adept with conducting research, analyzing data, and software development.

If this seems like a good fit for you, you should go get yourself a degree in computer science, software engineering, data science, or a related field. This role has the highest earning potential on our list, making an annual salary of anywhere between $130,000 to $200,000.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of what AI can do, but things certainly are unfolding at a rapid pace. In the near future, we’re likely to see some brand-new career paths opening up as a result of the continued use of AI systems. For now, if you’re into computers, technology, mathematics, and the like, there are already a number of exciting and rewarding career paths for you to choose from.