Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries and transforming the way we live and work. As more organizations incorporate AI into their operations, the demand for skilled AI engineers continues to grow. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in the cloud industry and what’s happening right now reminds me a lot of what we saw in 2012-2013 when cloud computing became a popular topic in the enterprise and companies started adopting it.

Right after that, we started seeing cloud skills becoming popular and most software engineers had to learn AWS, Azure, DevOps, and a variety of other cloud skills that today are somehow considered the normality for someone who builds software or works in the IT space.

I think Artificial Intelligence and the birth of solutions like OpenAI, Anthropic, and others will somehow create a similar revolution for the world of software engineers and developers.

It will definitely be different: cloud was a unique revolution in many ways and it took a few years to really become something that enterprise companies would be forced to adopt, I think AI will change the role of software developers (and how companies build software) much faster. We are already seeing the effects of that today, our developers at Anthropos use copilot to write code faster and save time every day (one of our devs said that is currently saving about 2 hours a day just using Microsoft Copilot).

While using an LLM (Large Language Model) through APIs might sound like a simple approach, we will see now more and more developers learning new advances skills on machine learning and AI to also personalize some of the existing solutions. Some companies are already training their own models and I expect this to become a trend as more companies adopt AI inteo their software.

There are new skills that developers need to acquire and get used to and not all of them are just technical skills, some of them are simply a new way of working as a developer with the support of AI to write your software.

But what exactly are the essential skills that make an AI engineer successful in this fast-paced and constantly evolving field?

Understanding the Role of an AI Engineer

An AI engineer is responsible for developing and implementing AI-based solutions to solve complex problems and we said, we are focusing here on those ones that are going to be slightly more advanced than just implementing a modern LLM.

They work closely with data scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to design, build, and deploy AI models and systems. Their expertise lies in leveraging machine learning algorithms and deep learning techniques to train models that can make informed decisions and predictions based on vast amounts of data. AI engineers play a crucial role in the development and advancement of artificial intelligence.

They are the architects behind the intelligent systems that help the rest of the organization – and most times of the software team – to tune and customize models for specific use cases or for specific industries. At Anthropos, for instance, we spent quite a bit of time tuning our Skills Taxonomy, built using AI, and we definitely needed to get into the realm of AI engineers.

With their deep understanding of machine learning algorithms and data analysis techniques, AI engineers are able to create models that can learn from data and make accurate predictions. Let me suggest this recent video that talks about the rise of the AI engineer as a new profession and dives deep into what that means.

Key Responsibilities of an AI Engineer

One of the primary responsibilities of an AI engineer is to understand and define the problem at hand. They need to analyze the available data and identify the appropriate machine-learning algorithms that can be used to address the specific requirements. This requires a deep understanding of the problem domain and the ability to translate it into a machine learning problem.

Compared to the past, several engineers today will rather adopt an LLM to be integrated – with APIs – in their code, instead of working with an external library for machine learning.

Once the problem is defined, AI engineers work on data preprocessing. This involves gathering, cleaning, and transforming the data to make it suitable for training AI models. They need to ensure that the data is accurate, complete, and representative of the problem at hand. This step is crucial as the quality of the data directly impacts the performance of the AI models.

After data preprocessing, AI engineers proceed with model training. They use machine learning algorithms and deep learning techniques to train models on the prepared data. This involves feeding the data into the models and adjusting the model parameters to optimize performance. AI engineers need to constantly evaluate the performance of the models and make improvements as needed.

Another important responsibility of AI engineers is model deployment. They need to ensure that the trained models can be integrated into existing systems and can make real-time predictions.

This requires expertise in software engineering and the ability to work with different programming languages and frameworks.

While writing this article I’ve found the recording of the AI Engineer Summit 2023 and the content is great if you want to learn more about the tools and skills you should consider in your path to become an AI engineer. I am posting below the first session video, but you can easily find the second one always on YouTube:

The Importance of AI in Today’s World

In today’s world, AI plays a critical role in various industries, including healthcare, finance, marketing, and transportation. It has the potential to revolutionize these sectors by automating processes, optimizing resource allocation, and improving decision-making capabilities.

AI engineers are at the forefront of this transformation, driving innovation and shaping the future of technology. In the healthcare industry, AI can be used to analyze medical images and detect diseases at an early stage. It can also help in personalized medicine by predicting the effectiveness of different treatments based on individual patient data. In finance, AI algorithms can analyze market trends and make accurate predictions for investment decisions.

In marketing, AI can analyze customer behavior and preferences to create targeted advertising campaigns. In transportation, AI can optimize traffic flow and improve the efficiency of logistics operations.

AI engineers are not only responsible for developing AI models but also for ensuring their ethical use. They need to consider the potential biases and ethical implications of the models they create. They must ensure that the models are fair, transparent, and accountable.

This requires a deep understanding of ethical principles and a commitment to responsible AI development.

In conclusion, AI engineers play a vital role in the development and deployment of AI solutions. They are responsible for understanding and defining problems, preprocessing data, training models, and deploying them into real-world applications. With their expertise in machine learning and deep learning, AI engineers are driving innovation and shaping the future of technology in various industries.

Foundational Knowledge for AI Engineers

To excel in the field of AI engineering, a solid foundation in mathematics, computer science, and programming is essential. However, there is much more to being an AI engineer than just these three areas of expertise. Let’s explore some additional aspects that contribute to the success of AI engineers.

Mathematics and Statistics

AI engineers need to have a strong understanding of mathematical concepts such as linear algebra, calculus, probability, and statistics. These concepts form the basis for many machine learning algorithms and help in understanding how data can be manipulated and analyzed to build effective AI models.

For example, linear algebra is used to represent and manipulate data in high-dimensional spaces, while calculus helps in optimizing algorithms by finding the minimum or maximum of a function. Probability and statistics are essential for understanding uncertainty and making informed decisions based on data.

Moreover, AI engineers should also be familiar with advanced mathematical techniques like optimization algorithms, numerical methods, and graph theory. These additional mathematical tools allow engineers to solve complex problems efficiently and design algorithms that can handle large-scale datasets. The good news is that even if you don’t have a computer engineering or CS degree, you can learn most of these things online nowadays, starting from YouTube and getting into even specific topics with free resources from MIT, Stanford and others.

Computer Science and Programming

Proficiency in programming languages like Python, Java, or C++ is crucial for AI engineers. They must not only be able to write code but also understand the underlying principles of software development. AI engineers should be familiar with data structures, algorithms, and software development methodologies. This knowledge enables them to implement and optimize AI algorithms efficiently.

Furthermore, AI engineers should have a solid understanding of computer architecture and operating systems. This knowledge helps them design AI systems that can efficiently utilize hardware resources and take advantage of parallel processing capabilities. There are more and more

Additionally, familiarity with distributed computing and cloud platforms is becoming increasingly important as AI models are being deployed on large-scale infrastructures.

Machine Learning and Deep Learning

AI engineers must have a deep understanding of machine learning and deep learning concepts. They should be well-versed in different types of algorithms, such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning. Additionally, knowledge of deep learning architectures and frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch is indispensable.

However, being proficient in the theoretical aspects of machine learning is not enough. AI engineers should also have practical experience in data preprocessing, feature engineering, and model evaluation.

They should be able to handle real-world datasets, clean and transform the data, and select appropriate evaluation metrics to assess the performance of their models. Moreover, AI engineers should be skilled in hyperparameter tuning and model selection to ensure optimal performance.

Furthermore, staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field of AI is crucial for AI engineers. They should be aware of cutting-edge research papers, attend conferences and workshops, and actively participate in the AI community. This continuous learning helps them stay ahead of the curve and apply the latest techniques to solve complex problems.

In conclusion, while a strong foundation in mathematics, computer science, and programming is essential for AI engineers, there are many other aspects that contribute to their success. From advanced mathematical techniques to practical experience in machine learning and deep learning, AI engineers need to possess a diverse skill set to excel in this rapidly evolving field.

Technical Skills Required for AI Engineering

Technical proficiency is critical for AI engineers to build robust and scalable AI solutions. Let’s see some of the areas where AI engineers have specific skills.

Proficiency in AI Programming Languages

Proficiency in programming languages like Python and R is essential for AI engineers. These languages provide extensive libraries and frameworks for AI development and enable engineers to implement complex algorithms efficiently. Python, in particular, has become the language of choice for AI engineers due to its simplicity and versatility.

Knowledge of AI Frameworks and Libraries

AI engineers need to be familiar with popular AI frameworks and libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and scikit-learn. These tools facilitate the development and deployment of AI models by providing pre-built functions and APIs for tasks like data preprocessing, model training, and evaluation.

Understanding of Neural Networks

Neural networks are at the heart of deep learning, a subfield of machine learning. AI engineers must have a thorough understanding of neural network architectures like convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs). They need to know how to design, train, and tune these networks to achieve high-performance results.

Soft Skills for AI Engineers

While technical skills are essential, soft skills are equally important for AI engineers to succeed in their roles. AI engineers are often faced with complex and ambiguous problems. They need to possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills to break down complex issues, identify potential solutions, and implement them effectively. Creativity and critical thinking are crucial for finding innovative approaches to tackle challenges. In a world where several processes will change, it’s also critical for AI engineers to understand that some of their work will likely impact the work of other people and colleagues: it’s early but it’s easy to see how some people are already reacting in different ways to the idea of using AI inside organizations. Some fear it’s too early while others are more inclined to try things and change the way they run their business.

Communication and Teamwork

AI engineers must be effective communicators, capable of explaining technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. While this is true for any type of technical role, I feel this is even more vital in the context of AI. They often collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, product managers, and business analysts. Strong teamwork skills enable them to work harmoniously towards a common goal, ensuring the successful implementation of AI solutions.

Ethical Considerations in AI

As AI becomes more prevalent, ethical considerations are increasingly important. AI engineers must be mindful of the potential biases and ethical implications associated with AI systems. They need to design and implement AI algorithms that are fair, transparent, and accountable, upholding ethical standards in the development and deployment of AI solutions.

In Conclusion

A successful AI engineer possesses a unique blend of technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and soft skills. With a solid foundation in mathematics and computer science, proficiency in AI programming languages and frameworks, and strong communication and teamwork skills, AI engineers are well-equipped to leverage the power of AI and shape the future of technology. We are in the early days of this profession and if you read online, you will find several people looking for paths and suggestions on how to approach AI and learn more about managing models. We will come back with another article to talk specifically about LLMs and how you can start using them as a software engineer.