Want to Know How to Become an AI Architect? The Ultimate Guide
Back in 2022, Gartner made a forecast that this year, 50% of IT leaders would experience difficulty in advancing their Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives from the “Proof of Concept (POC) stage into production”. While that sounds like a dire prediction, there is a way around that—hiring an AI architect. Doing so can improve a company’s chances of success as an AI architect can ensure important progress is made to reach the final objective. This includes the development of an AI architectural strategy, AI workflow design, AI tool selection, and enhanced AI operations. If you’re interested in this kind of a role that will be integral to a company’s success, then this article delves into the question of how to become an AI architect.
Why Become an AI Architect?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is anticipated that employment in computer and IT occupations will increase by 15% between the years 2021 and 2031, with approximately 682,800 new jobs created over that period. This demand highlights the growing need for AI architects because of the expanding variety of AI projects, AI services, and AI deployment strategies in every industry. However, AI architects must have a deep understanding of the technological advancements in the field in addition to their creative skills to make the most of the job opportunities in different industries. Then there is the fact that the increased demand for professionals skilled in AI architecture comes with a lucrative price tag too; the average annual AI architect salary is $151,180. These are good reasons to pursue a career as an AI architect.
What Does an AI Architect do
AI architects are responsible for developing solutions to organizational requirements, such as predicting customer behavior, fraud detection, customer support, and image and video recognition. They solve the issues by utilizing various applications, such as Alexa and Google Assistance, that are linked with AI and Machine Learning (ML).
Here are some pointers that will help you understand the responsibilities of an AI architect.
- Managing and setting up product infrastructure, including the AI development projects
- Converting ML models into application programming interfaces (APIs)
- Collaborating and communicating with AI engineers or the robotics team about significant procedures and developments about tasks
- Constructing the infrastructure for data transformation and automating it for the data team to use for multiple tasks and activities
Steps to Become an AI Architect
Get a Relevant Degree
A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in fields like Computer Science, Data Science, IT, or Software Engineering can help you become an AI architect.
Online Certification Courses
Apart from pursuing degrees, you can also stay updated with any developments in the field. The best way to do so is enrolling in courses online, like the AI and ML courses offered by Emeritus.
Attend Webinars by Experts
While online courses are a great go-to option, online webinars by experts on AI and ML are also an alternative. You can gain knowledge about the job role and skills required to be an AI architect from experts in the field.
Develop Technical and Nontechnical AI Architect Skills
You must acquire advanced knowledge of technical skills and nontechnical skills to become an AI architect. Technical skills include software development, ML, robotics, and data science. The nontechnical requirements would include soft skills such as leadership skills, decision-making ability, the ability to adapt, and efficient time management, among others.
Cultivate Communication and Collaboration Skills
You must have excellent communication and collaboration skills if you aspire to become an AI architect. Your job may need you to collaborate with data scientists, data engineers, data analysts, and ML engineers for any AI projects you undertake as part of your job.
Seek Employment
Start looking for a career in AI once you graduate. You must also have the technical expertise to perform the duties of an AI architect. Avenues of employment are vast and diverse, and include robotics, healthcare and medicine, marketing, retail, education, and even the public sector.
AI Architect vs. AI Engineer
An AI architect and an AI engineer may work in similar fields but there are significant differences in their respective responsibilities.
An AI engineer works with traditional ML approaches, such as Natural Processing Languages (NLPs) and neural networks, to construct models that operate AI-based applications.
On the other hand, the latter are professionals who build and implement the infrastructure for applications, databases, and computer networks.
An AI engineer’s responsibilities are to create, test, and deploy AI models using programming methods, such as Random Forest, Logistic Regression, and Linear Regression. They are responsible for planning the execution of solutions, selecting the appropriate technology, and analyzing the evolution of the architecture as per changes in client requirements.
An AI Architect’s Salary
The AI architect’s salary depends on the company, the level of knowledge and experience, and the location of the job too. On an average, though, an AI architect’s salary in the U.S. is $180,655 per year. The salary for entry-level AI architects is $163,788 per year, while that of experienced AI architects is $234,900.
ALSO READ: Artificial Intelligence vs. Machine Learning: What are the Key Differences?
How Long Does it Take to Become an AI Architect?
According to Indeed, it takes four years to complete a bachelor’s degree and become an AI architect. It is likely that this four-year program will include data analysis, software design, computer programming, and IT. If you want to pursue a career as an AI architect, you can also study statistics and applied mathematics as part of their education.
Is an AI Architect a Good Career Choice?
If you are looking for a lucrative and secure profession, an AI architect job is a safe pick for your career. AI and ML have already found widespread use in many fields, including healthcare, instruction, marketing, retail, online sales, banking, and finance. It makes AI an excellent career choice for aspiring professionals with relevant knowledge.
Shape Your Career the Right Way
An AI architect helps to create a vision for the organization’s AI capabilities and provides strategic direction for the implementation of its AI systems. Your role is crucial in ensuring the success of AI projects and helping organizations to achieve their AI goals. In order to do so, you must have the know-how and expertise to succeed on the job. Emeritus’ online AI and ML courses will give you the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the field by becoming well versed with the latest developments in IT.
Write to us at content@emeritus.org
