Which states are enjoying the greatest growth in A.I.-related jobs, and how much do those jobs pay (on average)? If you’re interested in A.I. and machine learning as a career, the answers to those questions can help you make strategic choices—such as whether to pursue jobs in certain tech hubs.
According to Dice.com data, the nation’s largest tech hubs are also enjoying some of the strongest growth in A.I.-related jobs, along with median salaries. Here’s the full breakdown:
Washington (home of tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft, along with innumerable A.I.-centric startups) enjoyed the most growth in A.I.-related jobs in the first seven months of the year. California and New York were also strong contenders in the growth category, with high median salaries to boot. All three of these states host tech giants spending billions on A.I.-related research and product development, and their respective tech hubs support hundreds of smaller companies also exploring the cutting edges of A.I. and machine learning.
The good thing about A.I. is that it offers new career opportunities to pretty much everyone in tech. For example, cybersecurity specialists will need to harden their companies’ defenses against a new generation of A.I.-related exploits, while tech pros involved in manufacturing might need to figure out how sophisticated automation can make production workflows more efficient. Software developers and engineers will need to figure out how tools such as code generation might integrate into their current programming regimens.
If you’re new to A.I. and want to learn its underlying technologies, start by reading a recent report from consulting firm McKinsey, titled Technology Trends Outlook 2023, that breaks down some of the underlying technologies that fuel A.I. development, including (but not limited to):
- Machine learning
- Computer vision
- Natural-language processing
- Deep reinforcement learning
If you decide to further specialize, you’ll want to learn the fundamentals of machine learning (such as data management and model development) and generative A.I. (foundation models, application layer, and so on).
If you already live in a major tech hub, chances are good you’re seeing more job postings mentioning A.I. skills. If you don’t live in a major tech hub, choosing to move to one can be a huge decision, which shouldn’t be taken lightly—just keep in mind that many A.I.-related jobs are fully remote, as well.
