Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence

and Machine Learning

If you are interested in working at the cutting edge of technology, where machines
are replacing human actions, then artifical intelligence and machine learning may be
for you. Whether you’re a Career Starter, Career Developer or Career Changer, this
global career guide gives you an overview to this exciting area of the computer
science industry.
to discover valuable customer and business insights,
Sector overview to reduce human error and to become more cost and
time efficient.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of
What are some current and future
computer science concerned with building smart initiatives in these areas?
machines capable of performing tasks that typically Since its advent in the 1950s, AI and machine learning
require human intelligence. has developed to infiltrate almost every aspect of our
It refers to the capability of a computer system to daily lives from providing the technology behind email
mimic human cognitive functions such as learning and spam filters and Google search results, to route
problem-solving. Through AI, a computer system uses planning apps like Uber, to voice assistants like Siri
maths and logic to simulate the reasoning that people and Alexa, all working to make our lives easier and
use to learn from new information and make more convenient.
decisions. The initiatives are also benefiting industry. Healthcare
is using the technology to improve image processing,
What is machine learning? resulting in better cancer detection rates, and banking
While the two terms of often used synonymously, uses AI and machine learning to support fraud
machine learning is actually an application or subset detection and as a predictor for financial risk.
of AI. It’s the process of using mathematical models of Looking to the future, some of the most eagerly
data to help a computer learn without direct awaited developments lie within transportation and
instruction. This enables a computer system to the introduction of autonomous cars along with the
continue learning and improving on its own, based on continued expansion of the ‘metaverse’, a virtual world
experience. So, whereas you need AI researchers to of immersive experiences.
build the smart machines, you need machine learning
experts to make them truly intelligent and to keep
them improving. What do professionals in this area do?
The connection between AI and machine learning Machine learning engineers working in the field of AI
enables companies, through the use of data sources, will focus on the research, build and design of self-

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running systems. They will design and create the AI that those interested in these roles also seek to
algorithms capable of learning and making predictions sharpen their commercial and softer skills.
that define machine learning. This usually involves
working as a part of a larger team and acting as the
bridge between the data scientists, who focus on
What skills do you need?
statistical and model-building work, and the • Advanced maths and statistical skills,
construction of AI systems. Their work is likely to surrounding subjects such as linear algebra,
touch on disciplines such as computational statistics, calculus and Bayesian statistics
predictive analytics, data mining and mathematical • Some knowledge of coding and programming
optimisation. languages including Python, Java, C++, C, R
and Javascript
From a business perspective, they may also be
• Problem solving skills often requiring
responsible for leadership tasks, project management
innovative approaches and creativity
and senior stakeholder engagement.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail,
in order to work effectively with large, complex
Labour market information datasets
• Communication skills, needed to explain
Global picture complex technical processes to non-technical
With AI being at the forefront of so many technological staff and more junior team members
advances, it is unsurprising that this is a growing area • Commercial awareness to understand the role
of the industry. The McKinsey Global Survey into The that AI plays in making a business more
State of AI in 2021 highlights that nearly two-thirds of efficient and productive
respondents believe their companies’ investments into A number of roles may also require more specific
AI will continue to increase over the next three years, technical skills, according to the needs of the
making it a buoyant area for employment particular product or project. These may include
opportunities. distributed systems tools (such as Consul or etcd),
On a regional basis, the report suggests that the AI messaging-broker software (such as RabbitMQ or
adoption rate is highest in companies based in India, ZeroMQ) and ‘infrastructure as code’ software tools
closely followed by those in Asia-Pacific. And in the 12 (such as Terraform). A key ingredient to success in AI
months preceding the report publication, companies is the ability to stay on top of changing technology
headquartered in emerging economies, including trends and new software developments.
China, the Middle East and North Africa had seen the
biggest increases since the previous year. Potential employers
Due to the breadth of AI and machine learning as a
Skills shortages discipline, it is reasonable to conclude that most
Many countries are experiencing skills gaps in AI and industry sectors are now developing capabilities in this
machine learning, and this is often cited as a main area. However, employment tends to be particularly
factor in slowing down the adoption of AI capabilities. strong in the following:
Technical expertise may, indeed, be vital for success in
this career, but as AI moves into the mainstream, Technology companies
specialist tech staff are now working more closely
For obvious reasons, global tech giants like Amazon,
than ever with business managers. With this
Microsoft, Facebook and IBM top many surveys of the
development, the soft skills of interpersonal
largest recruiters of AI talent, all offering graduate
communication, strategic problem solving and critical
programmes and exciting career development
thinking are required across all sectors. Developing
opportunities. But throughout the sector, many smaller
and demonstrating these skills can greatly improve
tech providers and consultancies will be growing their
employability and career development in AI and
AI capabilities in order to keep up with industry trends.
ultimately help to plug the skills gap, so it is advisable

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Start-ups order to open the full spectrum of employment
possibilities. If entering the industry with a bachelors’
A popular employment sector for recent graduates, degree, employers will prefer to see a qualification in a
particularly those with an entrepreneurial streak, AI is related field such as computer science, statistics or
regularly deployed as a way of harnessing a maths. A number of bachelor degrees are now
competitive advantage to achieve fast levels of growth emerging with a stronger focus on AI and machine
in smaller companies. Areas such as FinTech, learning including the distance and flexible learning
Consumer Goods and Services, and B2B Software and BSc Computer Science (Machine Learning and AI)
Services are all particular well represented. offered through Goldsmiths.
As is the case for most industry areas, the graduate
Banking and Finance
job market inevitably becomes more accessible to
AI helps banks predict future outcomes and trends those applicants who have taken time to build work
which in turn helps them to identify fraud, detect anti- experience opportunities as they study. It is always
money laundering patterns and make customer advisable to seek out internship opportunities in order
recommendations. As such, they regularly feature as to evidence skills to future employers and to network
larger employers of AI professionals. Additionally, the within the industry.
Big 4 accountancy and consulting services all currently
are running AI initiatives in order to optimise their While it is possible to move into AI without a degree, it
customer services. would require significant relevant work experience to
do so. In this instance, it is strongly recommended to
gain specialist knowledge through short courses in the
Healthcare
area through MOOC course (Massive Open Online
AI is already being used to detect diseases, such as Courses) providers like Coursera, including those
cancer and early-stage heart disease. Additionally, it offered by the University of London.
increases the ability for healthcare professionals to
better understand the day-to-day patterns and needs Alternative roles
of the people they care for. Top healthcare users of AI
include Remedy Health (US) and binah.ai (Israel). If the area of AI and machine learning interests you but
you want to consider other career options, you may
want to think about roles such as:
Routes into AI and machine
• Research scientist
learning • Software engineer
• Data scientist/business analyst
Qualification routes • Statistician
There are no legal requirements with regards to
qualifications in this field. This, combined with the fact Finding opportunities
that it is a relatively young career area means that
standard routes into the industry are still forming and Being a fairly niche and highly skilled area of work,
new entrants will likely join with a range of different combined with the nature of the work itself, many
qualifications and experiences. opportunities are advertised on specialist jobsites with
a global reach and, of these, a significant number will
That aside, many employers will have their own be open to remote working. We have found the
preferences for qualifications that they like to see from following sites to be particularly useful:
applicants. And due to the high level of mathematic,
statistical and programming knowledge required it is Ai-jobs.net – global machine learning roles including
common for employers to ask for a Masters, or even a many remote/hybrid opportunities
PhD. Toptal.com – remote freelance machine learning jobs
There are a growing number of directly relevant with global clients
Masters courses now available in the area of AI and Jobhunt.ai – AI roles mainly focused in North America
machine learning and these should be considered in and Europe. Includes remote opportunities.

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Datajobs.com – includes US-based machine learning development. It may help your ongoing career
jobs but also some remote roles prospects to familiarise yourself with these, the
research that is happening and the industry
Technojobs.co.uk – UK job site but with many
developments as they arise. Most will also have active
European and/or remote opportunities
blogs and Twitter accounts:
AngelList Talent – remote and global jobs at start-ups
Open AI
Machine Hack – tech jobs in India including machine
DeepMind
learning roles
Google Research
Naukri.com – generalist Indian job board but with lots
of machine learning opportunities AWS AI
Meta AI
Speculative applications
Microsoft Research
With so many skills shortages in this area, the AI and
machine learning industry is ripe for speculative Baidu Research
applications. Please remember that a significant AI2
‘hidden job market’ exists where jobs are not
advertised but opportunities may still be available. It is Partnership on AI
up to you to take the initiative to contact these Networking is everything in this fast-developing
companies in the first instance. With such sought-after industry so it is advisable to network hard to optimise
skills behind you, you may find this to be a successful your future career chances. As well as using Meetup
approach. Use LinkedIn to research who these (now operational in 180 countries) to engage with
employers may be, by running key word searches on industry professionals, the AI & ML Events site gives a
job titles and locations. great overview of global networking opportunities and
Speculative approaches can be particularly welcomed conferences in this arena. These events also provide a
within the start-up industry, as smaller companies great opportunity to keep abreast of industry
simply may not have the recruitment budgets needed developments.
to advertise. Most countries will have their own start-
up networks that you may wish to familiarise yourself Disclaimer
with. Additionally, CB Insights, an American business We have used reasonable efforts to provide accurate
analytics company, produces an annual list of what it and up-to-date information at the time of publication.
calls the ‘AI 100’. This list encompasses what they As information can quickly become out of date, we
believe to be the 100 most promising global start-ups advise you to check your local sources of information
who are pioneering in their use of AI. This could be a to confirm whether the information has changed since
great starting point to research potential employers this content was produced. UoLCS content users must
further. take responsibility for their own decisions based on
the content provided.
General vacancy sites
LinkedIn - use filters for the best search experience.
Indeed – choose a relevant country site, then use
advanced search techniques to narrow down.
Also, check the general job sites that are popular in
your country, using the search bar to identify the best
opportunities for you.

And finally…
There are a handful of well-known organizations that
are dedicated to furthering AI research and

© All information copyright to University of London Careers Service 2022