AI & Your Career

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Y P O C W E I REV AI is transforming EVERY job. Become AI-literate now!

PLUS: Interested in a career in AI? What you need to know.

AI & YOUR CAREER

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WELCOME Dear Student, Welcome to the exciting world of Artificial Intelligence (AI)! We are thrilled to present you with our AI Career Guide, a resource designed to ignite your curiosity and inspire your future. Here, you’ll discover how AI is transforming every career field, from medicine and finance to education and vocational trades, and why becoming AI-literate is more important than ever.

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Imagine a world where doctors diagnose diseases with unprecedented accuracy, financial advisors predict market trends precisely, and teachers personalize learning experiences for each student.

AI is making all of this possible and more. No matter your interests, understanding AI will give you a competitive edge and open doors to new opportunities.

Our guide will help you see how AI is relevant to your chosen path and how you can harness its power to achieve your goals. We also explore what it takes to become an AI professional, from educational pathways to exciting career options in the AI field.

As you explore this guide, remember that the journey of learning AI is as exciting as the destination.

Embrace the challenges, stay curious, and never stop asking questions. The world of AI is vast and full of possibilities, and you have the potential to make a significant impact.

It's also important to consider the ethical issues and potential dangers of AI. AI technologies can raise concerns about privacy, security, and bias. Ensuring AI is used responsibly and ethically involves addressing data privacy, fairness, and preventing misuse. Understanding these challenges is crucial as we move forward, and you can play a vital role in advocating for ethical AI practices.

We are excited for you to embark on this journey and can’t wait to see the amazing things you will achieve with AI. Warmest regards,

Robert Black CEO & Publisher Start Engineering LLC

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TABLE OF CONTENTS DID YOU KNOW? 4

Ten Surprising Things About AI

AI IS EVERYWHERE 6

Overview of Careers Using AI

Y P O C W ETHICAL CONCERNS 14 The AI Revolution

AI BASICS

16 What is AI?

AI LITERACY

18 A Crucial Skill for Your Career

WHAT TO DO NOW 20 Start On Your AI Skills Today

CAREERS 23 Overview 24 Healthcare 26 Finance 28 The Environment 30 National Defense 32 Cybersecurity 34 Manufacturing 36 Transportation 38 Education 40 Film Production 42 Vocational Careers

Become an AI Professional 44 What Makes AI Work

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46 Explore Degrees and Programs 49 Types of AI Jobs 50 Jobs Galore

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA HISCHE. ALL PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED

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DID YOU KNOW?

10 SURPRISING THINGS ABOUT AI 7. AI is the fusion of many fields of study.

1. It’s everywhere.

It’s often working without us being fully aware of it. See pages 6-11.

2. AI’s many talents include creating images — and even videos.

See pages 5, 16-19, 22, 44-45, and 52.

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8. AI professionals make major bank.

3. Soon, nearly every career will include AI...

Even if you aren’t interested in the technical aspect of AI, a basic understanding of its capabilities will be important.

The starting salary for AI professionals ranges from $91,000 – $146,000. Since there are not a lot of AI programmers currently out there, recent salaries for established professionals have surged to nearly $1 million per year!*

4. ...including trade professions like plumbing and electrical work.

9. You can get an AI certification to accompany your degree.

See page 42.

5. AI is predicted to add $16 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

Most people who do the programming for AI study computer science at college, but you can get an AI certification at many colleges to improve your bankability.

That’s an enormous economic transformation.

10. AI is just at the beginning.

6. There are serious ethical considerations.

AI’s capabilities are constantly evolving, and we are only at the beginning of its journey.

The field of AI is bound to grow and develop further, bringing about even more astonishing advances in the future.

Bias, privacy, job displacement, and the potential for misuse raise ethical dilemmas. See page 14.

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AI starts with computer science, but the field includes elements of electrical engineering, mathematics, statistics, psychology, linguistics, and philosophy. Find out more on page 16.

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*SOURCE: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. IMAGE CREATED BY DALL-E BY OPENAI

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AI & YOUR CAREER

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AI IS EVERYWHERE Welcome to the AI revolution! From healthcare to defense, AI is transforming nearly every career and sector, making services faster, smarter, and more personalized. Take a quick look here, and then dive in deeper to discover more!

HEALTHCARE

W E I REV Precision Medicine

Fast-Track Cures AI speeds up the process of

Genetic Matches

AI is helping doctors diagnose

finding new medicines by pre-

AI can enable doctors to tailor

diseases faster and more ac-

dicting how different chemicals

treatments to individual pa-

curately by looking at scans

will work together, making it

tients based on their unique

and test results to find signs of

quicker and cheaper to de-

genetic makeup, improving the

illness that people might miss.

velop new treatments.

effectiveness of treatments and

See page 24 for more information on healthcare and AI.

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reducing side effects.

FINANCE

RETAIL

Wall Street’s New Player Using complex algorithms, AI can analyze vast amounts of data to make predictions and execute high-speed, high-volume trades, potentially making investing smoother and more profitable.

A New Era of Lending

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AI algorithms are used to analyze non-traditional data sources in addition to traditional ones, like payment history. This can include social media activity or mobile phone usage, allowing lenders to assess creditworthiness more accurately and offer credit to those who might have

Smarter Shopping AI is your secret online shopping stylist, picking out products that match your taste perfectly based on your past picks, and helping you

been overlooked by traditional systems.

discover your next favorite find.

Finding Fraud

Right Item, Right Time

AI is good at spotting unusual patterns that

AI keeps track of inventory, predicting the hot

might mean someone is trying to steal money or data. It works fast to stop these actions,

items, which helps keep the right goods in stock and ready for eager customers.

enhancing security for everyone.

See page 26 for more on finance and AI.

Store Sleuths Imagine asking the air where to find hand soap and getting an instant answer. That’s the power of voice assistants for store associates, turning them into super-sleuths who can price check and pinpoint products in a snap.

Price Whisperer In the ever-evolving marketplace, AI helps set prices by predicting what customers are willing to pay, helping stores offer competitive deals.

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AI IS EVERYWHERE MANUFACTURING Preemptive Maintenance

Machine Precision

AI can predict repairs by

Spotting imperfections

foreseeing equipment

with unmatched speed and

failures. It slashes down-

accuracy, AI sharpens qual-

time and trims costs,

ity control. It’s the vigilant

keeping the gears of

eye that ensures products

industry smoothly turning.

meet the mark, every time.

Data-Driven Efficiency AI is the master planner for operations, analyzing data to synchronize supply chains and timings flawlessly. It boosts efficiency, cuts waste, and fuels manufacturing innovation.

See page 34 to read more about AI and manufacturing.

TRANSPORTATION Self-Driving Cars — Really!

Smart Rides AI is the matchmaker in

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AI is paving the way for self-

ride-sharing apps like Lyft

driving cars, enabling them to

and Uber, smartly linking

navigate and make decisions

passengers and drivers

on the road, enhancing safety

for quicker pickups and

by reducing human error.

smoother routes.

Green Lights Ahead

AI is the city’s traffic conductor, analyzing data to tweak lights and predict patterns, keeping roads clear and commutes smooth.

It’s the secret to stress-free city travel.

See page 36 to read more about AI and transportation.

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AGRICULTURE

SOCIAL MEDIA

Field Intelligence AI turns farmers’ fields into high-tech wonders, optimizing growth with soil and weather analysis and using drones for crop health and pest control — boosting yields smartly.

Cow Cam AI also can monitor farm animals’ health and behavior in real-time, enhancing care, efficiency, and disease prevention. It’s tech-savvy animal welfare for happier, healthier herds.

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Social Media Mind Read Both TikTok and Instagram use AI to personalize your experience on their platforms. TikTok’s AI analyzes the videos you watch, how long you watch them, and the ones you skip to understand your preferences. Similarly, Instagram uses AI to track your interactions with posts and videos, including likes, comments, and viewing time. Both apps use this info to display ads that are more relevant to you, making them more effective and helping the apps earn more money.

Next-Level Effects When you create a video on TikTok and use features to change your voice to sound like a chipmunk, apply a beauty filter, or make it look like you’re floating in space, it's all thanks to AI. In fact, AI is responsible for all the dynamic effects and filters on the platform. It detects your facial position and movements, allowing you to add creative effects or change backgrounds in real time, which makes your videos more engaging and fun. Plus, TikTok’s AI recommends music that matches your taste and the content of your posts, making your videos even more fun.

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AI IS EVERYWHERE CYBERSECURITY

SPACE

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Threat Hunter AI can detect and mitigate cyber threats in real time by analyzing network traffic patterns, identifying anomalies, and responding to cyberattacks more effectively than traditional methods.

Secure Swipe By using biometrics like facial recognition and fingerprints, AI can verify identities quickly and accurately, enhancing security and slashing the time it takes to access accounts or systems.

Auto-Pilot to Space

See page 32 for more on cybersecurity.

SpaceX uses an AI autopilot system to calculate

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the trajectory of its Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station, taking into account fuel usage and atmospheric conditions.

Robots See, AI Analyzes Mars Rovers autonomously navigate Mars,

thanks to AI algorithms, avoiding craters and drops that could damage them. And NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has used image recognition tools to study pictures captured by these robots to classify features of the terrain.

Charting Outer Space AI algorithms are used to: ⊲ Study how planets are formed. ⊲ Detect exoplanet signals. ⊲ Analyze stars’ brightness to find planets that pass in front of them. ⊲ Predict planet interactions. ⊲ Analyze data from space telescopes.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Eco-Trackers Protecting wildlife is easier with AI, which can analyze images and sounds to track animals and their behaviors, helping to monitor our ecosystem.

Climate Forecaster

Y P O C W AI uses big datasets from

satellites and sensors to more

accurately predict weather and

climate change, aiding efforts to protect the environment.

See page 28 for more info.

ENERGY AND UTILITIES Power Savings AI acts as a smart energy guide, tailoring usage to habits and needs. It tweaks energy use on the fly, cutting waste, costs, and carbon footprints. It’s ecofriendly efficiency at its best.

Grid Guru By matching electricity supply with demand, and seamlessly weaving in green energy, AI keeps the power grid in harmony,

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AI IS EVERYWHERE GOVERNMENT

SPORTS

3.

AI to the Rescue When disaster strikes, every second counts, and AI is the new superhero in emergency response.

It crunches real-time data from calls, social media, and the skies to foresee crises and direct aid where it’s needed most. With AI’s foresight, emergency teams are better prepared, making rescue missions faster and saving more lives.

Stats on Steroids

Spotting Scofflaws

The NBA and the NFL both supercharge their

The IRS uses AI to more effectively review tax

game with Second Spectrum. This software titan

returns, spotting potential tax dodgers through unusual patterns and errors. Plus, AI enables the IRS to intensify its examination of high-income individuals, partnerships, and areas where detecting noncompliance is particularly tricky.

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uses AI to sift through sports footage, gleaning powerful insights that refine team dynamics, strategies, and overall game plans.

Predicting the Snap

Health Tracker

The NFL’s groundbreaking “Digital Athlete”

Governments are using AI to look through lots

zon Web Services, leverages player data to

of data and spot early signs of diseases spread-

foresee and forestall injuries. Joining the fray,

ing. This helps health officials get ready in

other companies like Inspirit AI and Zone7 use

advance and deal with health problems before

similar techniques to scrutinize player move-

they get worse.

ments, recommend tailored training tweaks,

platform, born from a collaboration with Ama-

and bolster recovery processes.

Fantasy Football The dynamic duo of IBM Watson and ESPN ushered in a new era for fantasy football, wielding advanced insights and predictive analytics. This game-changing alliance demystified complex data, guiding enthusiasts towards smarter player picks and trade tactics, and injecting unparalleled excitement into the fantasy football world.

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ART AND FILM Talk to a Masterpiece At a Vincent van Gogh exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay, the artist himself awaits visitors, ready to answer questions. Talk about making art come alive!

Speed Editing AI-powered video editing software

Y P O C W streamlines repetitive tasks like color correction, audio syncing, and initial

cuts. It also makes it easier to add realistic effects, subtitles, and voiceovers.

For more on filmmaking, see page 40.

DEFENSE Predicting Trouble AI and machine learning are used to analyze vast amounts of data from sensors, satellites, and other sources to predict potential threats, assess risks, and make informed decisions.

War Machines Go AI Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ground robots, and autonomous vehicles all use AI. These systems can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, and even combat operations.

For more on defense, see page 32.

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ETHICAL CONCERNS

The AI Revolution

Understanding and adapting to technological change is the first step.

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n every era, groundbreaking technologies challenge people to learn and adapt. Exciting opportunities arrive alongside new kinds of risk, and change is unavoidable. Today, AI is driving a technological revolution, transforming how we live, work, and interact not only with each other but also with computers that have suddenly become surprisingly lifelike. Understanding this powerful tool is crucial for navigating the changes it brings and ensuring it benefits all of society.

The Rise of AI

AI’s ability to transform vast sectors — from healthcare to transportation — presents a double-edged sword.

It offers efficiencies and advancements that save time and money as well as amplify our abilities to reason, act, and create. At the same time, AI applications can cause harm.

As we learn how to live with it, we must ensure AI contributes to the social good and not the social bad, always alert to its potential for both intentional and unintentional harm.

Understanding AI as a Tool

AI, much like a hammer or a computer, is neutral by itself. Its impact depends on how people choose to use — or misuse — it. The incredible capacity of AI to conjure new realities out of digital thin air makes it

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vital to craft clear ethical guidelines and strong rules for responsible use. ⊲ Upside: AI is a tool that will perform tasks it’s programmed to do, for better or worse. You’ve seen positive examples in the “AI is Everywhere” section, pages 6-13.

⊲ Downside: AI can be used to deceive, resulting in theft, fraud, and misinformation. Think deepfakes of actual people in AI-generated forms doing and saying things they never would do in reality, or cyberattacks made devious and powerful by AI that can spot and evade online security measures.

become so complex that even the people who make them don't know exactly what they will do. Errors in AI outputs, or “hallucinations,” can cause misleading results that could be dangerous in sensitive areas like healthcare or finance.

Y P O C W E I EV We Need Clear Rules

As AI continues to seep into more areas of daily life, creating a legal framework that keeps pace with technological advancements is critical.

This framework should protect individuals and ensure that innovations benefit society without infringing on rights or freedoms. ⊲ Clear regulations: To ensure appropriate, transparent uses of AI, we need guidelines and laws tailored to the benefits and risks of AI systems in all the different ways they are used. ⊲ And punishments: To deter harmful behaviors, real consequences must be attached to bad actions. ⊲ Participation with key players: Lawyers, ethicists, businesspeople, and consumers should all contribute to developing norms and laws for AI use.

Challenges With AI Design

The quality of data used to train AI systems shapes their outputs. Poorly formatted or biased data sets can generate results that cause unintentional harm and even exacerbate social inequalities, underscoring the need for rigorous testing and diverse data sources. ⊲ Data and design Issues: Many AI systems, like facial recognition, suffer from biased training data, leading to inaccurate and unfair outcomes. ⊲ “Hallucinations”: AI systems can

Developing AI Literacy

AI literacy is about more than understanding technology — it’s about recognizing its implications for privacy, security, and ethics. Educating ourselves and future generations on AI will lead to more informed decisions and beneficial innovations that reflect the needs and interests of our increasingly diverse society. ⊲ Need for awareness: We must develop sophisticated awareness and caution when using and trusting AI systems. ⊲ Inclusive development: AI tools should be developed, tested, and implemented by diverse groups to ensure they serve all of society equitably.

Looking Ahead

The future with AI will bring significant changes to the ways we work and live.

With thoughtful intentions and broad participation, we can develop beneficial, inclusive AI systems that help us solve pressing global challenges. ⊲ Preparing for disruption: AI will change the nature of work, taking over some jobs that humans currently perform. We need to account for these changes by helping those affected learn and adapt to AI in the workplace. ⊲ Personal reflection: As AI reshapes our world, think about how your skills and interests can contribute to making AI work effectively and ethically.

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AI BASICS

What is AI? How we got here: from simple code to complex decision-making.

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ou might have noticed that AI seems, all of a sudden, to be everywhere. In school, you might be using ChatGPT to research a history paper, Grammarly to check your sentence structure, or Khanmigo to understand polynomials. Siri or Alexa could be finding you funny memes, telling you the weather for tomorrow, or testing your knowledge of pop music from the 2010’s.

And embedded in navigation aids, shopping websites, and social media apps, AI is guiding you — whether you realize it or not — in decisions of all kinds about where you go, how you spend money, what you wear, and much else. Let’s explore how AI got started and how it works.

In the Beginning

AI was created by experts in computer science, mathematics, and even psychology, among other fields.

They studied how our brains learn things and make decisions. They used this understanding to create

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mathematical models that mimic these processes.

Next, computer programmers wrote code based on these models. This code allows machines to process large amounts of data, recognize patterns, and make predictions or decisions based on those patterns.

This is the essence of machine learning, or ML, a key part of AI.

All About the Data

But it’s really all about the data — AI systems learn from, or get “trained” on, data. The more data used to train a system, the better it gets at responding to queries or making decisions. Over time, as more data is collected and technology improves, AI systems become more sophisticated, capable of doing more complex tasks.

The Four Jobs of AI

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AI works by doing four main things: it perceives, reasons, learns, and interacts.

1. Perceives. AI uses sensors to register things in the

world, like speech or writing, motion, touch, or light.

But AI does more than just sense things — it can also perceive what they are, and this ability to identify what it senses is the beginning of what makes AI work. Once AI knows what it is sensing, it compares whatever “it” is to other “it’s” of the same kind in its programming.

2. Reasons. Then it reasons out what to do with the new thing it has sensed. This reasoning might result in playing a song, giving directions to a store, solving a math problem, or producing some other result related to the data the AI was trained on. Importantly, AI can reason only according to how it has been programmed and

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ible things — “learn” how to distinguish a cat from a dog in an image, identify a fraudulent credit card transaction, separate spam emails from legitimate ones, or any number of other, increasingly complex reasoning operations.

4. Interacts. Lastly, AI interacts with people and other machines through things like chatbots, talking assistants, and robots. These interactive tools mean AI can conduct exchanges and work with us in increasingly natural ways. Together, these abilities enable AI to carry out tasks, from the simple to the really complicated, and it’s becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives.

Dawn of an Era

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trained. An AI tool trained to book an airline ticket cannot help you with directions to the airport.

3. Learns. Within the area of its training, though, AI can learn all by itself. Powered by ML, AI uses special computer programs to remember the new things it senses and put them in cat-

egories with similar things.

Then by trial and error or finding patterns among these things, it learns. With no need for humans to guide it, AI is always getting better at the reasoning tasks it is meant to do. This kind of AI is called “narrow” AI, and even if it falls short of the wide intelligence humans have, it can do incred-

The November 2022 release of ChatGPT might well go down as the beginning of the Age of AI. An example of generative AI, ChatGPT exploded our ideas of what AI could do.

The experience of seamless exchanges with a computer, featuring intuitive responses and access to unimaginably vast reserves of information, seemed to blur the lines between human and machine. In the largest numbers ever, ChatGPT introduced people to com-

puters being smart in ways that had never been seen before. For more on generative AI, see page 22.

How Smart Is ChatGPT?

With trillions of digital links digesting enormous volumes of data, ChatGPT and other generative AI’s are really smart. They can build up vast knowledge within their domain of training and use it to generate almost any output in their specific medium (text, image, sound, or other). But people are smarter. With thousands of trillions of connections inside our brains, we can perceive and understand things through all our senses, giving us a fuller picture of the world than any generative AI can currently develop.

Understanding the four key aspects of AI — perceiving, reasoning, learning, and interacting — helps us recognize its strengths and weaknesses. Even if AI is evolving so quickly that its limitations are constantly shifting, your brain is still more multifaceted and adaptable. It is your best tool for deciding how and when to use AI. This fact will remain true even as AI continues to develop into more remarkable versions of itself.

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AI LITERACY

A Crucial Skill for Your Career Understanding how AI works on even a basic level is important for your future.

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rom your For You page on TikTok to Netflix recommendations to shopping on Amazon, artificial intelligence is at work in your life every day all the time. And that’s just what you can see.

In countless other, much-less visible ways, AI is moving deeply and quickly into nearly every realm of human experience.

This lightning rate of change, of course, applies to careers, but maybe not in the way that you think.

Of all US job openings posted in early 2024, only about two percent directly involved AI-related technical skills. And among these jobs, the skills in most demand involve analyzing and understanding the data that goes into AI systems. For the 98 percent not entering the technical AI job market, AI will be a tool they need to know how to use but not necessarily one they know how to make. Just as you must know how to use words and numbers in nearly every job, you will also need to know how to use AI tools. Becoming “literate” in AI — understanding how AI works, what it is and is not good for, and some of the risks and shortfalls associated with it — is vital.

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How Computers Become Intelligent

As we saw in “AI Basics,” AI can be understood as a form of technology that makes computers “intelligent,” able to recognize things, understand what they are, make decisions about them, and then communicate these decisions to people. In more technical terms, an AI system features three, interconnected parts: a dataset, a learning algorithm, and a decision. Understanding how these operations work inside a computer is a good way to start building AI literacy.

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The Three Components of AI

1. A DATASET is a collection of information that can take almost any form — numbers might be the first thing you associate with data, but a dataset can also include text, images, videos, or any other category of information.

2. A LEARNING ALGORITHM is a computer program that takes in new data, connects it to other pieces of the same kind of data, and then uses it to generate a decision.

3. A DECISION, prediction, or some other kind of new output presents the results of the AI system’s programming responding to a human query. Becoming AI literate starts with understanding how this process relies on human choices and actions from start to finish. People build AI systems, use them, change them, and control them. AI literacy starts with careful attention to all the ways that humans interact with, benefit from, and even suffer from the operations of AI systems.

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Basic AI Literacy

The Data We Feed It

We choose what data to feed into an AI system as training information. Teaching an AI to recognize a human face involves showing it many versions of real human faces. Early facial recognition datasets included disproportionate numbers of white men, though, and failed to identify people of color and women at much higher rates compared to white men.

As both AI technology and human understanding of handling data have improved, facial recognition systems have improved, too. A person literate in AI could explain how the facial recognition systems would have to change to make this improvement possible, even without knowing anything too technical about the AI systems in particular.

AI literacy encompasses a range of escalating competencies.

1. Be aware of and able to identify AI tools.

2. Know how they are used.

3. Be able to operate and adapt them to specific situations.

4. Understand the social and ethical context in which they are used.

With facial recognition systems, for example, the first level of AI literacy could mean identifying the Face ID function of a phone as an example of AI. In the workplace, a border control officer uses a facial recognition system to confirm that real people passing through a checkpoint are the same people as shown in their passport pictures.

At the next level of AI literacy, you would be able to identify and even imagine multiple uses of facial recognition systems. Based on understanding how a dataset of faces could be used to train an AI system, you could describe various applications of such a system. A police investigator might compare footage of a violent street scene with images of social media profiles to identify individuals committing crimes on camera. Or a doctor might compare images of a patient’s face with faces of other sick people to identify symptoms of disease that the naked eye would miss.

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Advanced AI Literacy

Advanced AI literacy can involve working more directly with AI systems to adjust or even improve their operation. Understanding how to modify a training dataset means you can improve how well a system works or even adapt it for completely different purposes. At a bank, you might apply facial recognition systems to online transactions, enabling customers to make payments by just snapping a selfie in the checkout line.

The Social & Cultural Context

Finally, it’s crucial to understand the broader social and cultural context in which AI systems are used. Those early facial recognition systems that could reliably identify only white men were not mistakes. Instead, they reflected basic realities about AI – the systems are only as good as the datasets and algorithms used to build them.

Bias in the Machine

An algorithm is basically a worldview or opinion embedded in math. And if the people who build algorithms bring biases — conscious or unconscious — to the programs they write, the AI systems will reproduce that bias and cause damage in the world. For this reason, AI systems need built-in safeguards that address transparency in datasets and programming, safety rules, protections against misuse or abuse, and who is responsible for when and how to use them.

Not every career you consider will require AI literacy at all these levels. But as fast as AI is developing, you can safely assume your career will require you to use AI systems in some way at some time. AI literacy will help you stand out in the workplace after finishing college.

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WHAT TO DO NOW

Start On Your AI Skills Today Get ready for an AI-enhanced workforce by building a foundation while in high school.

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earning how to use a tool means developing a skill. It’s the same, whether the tool is a sewing machine, a jackhammer, or MS Word. Or artificial intelligence.

To get and keep almost any job in the era of AI, you will need to develop and display AI skills. Even if you have no plan to design or develop AI systems, skills with AI tools will help you succeed in the AI-saturated workplace ahead for nearly everyone. As you plot your course from high school through further learning and then into a career, be sure to make AI skill-building part of the journey.

High School Classes

You can lay a foundation for AI skills by getting the most out of your plain old, broad-based high school coursework.

4. Collaborate in group work on innovative, imaginative solutions to problems wherever possible.

Skillful use of AI requires understanding how to use both numbers and words, how to work effectively and imaginatively with people who might not think just like you, and how social, cultural, and ethical considerations shape ways that AI should — and should not — be used.

Take an Online AI Class

Regular coursework, however, is just the start. Also look for ways to learn specifically about AI itself. Online AI learning resources are growing fast, and lots of them are designed to impart literacy-oriented, non-technical levels of understanding. (See box on next page.) For the vast majority of students, this is how to start developing a grasp of what AI is about, how and when to use it, and its strengths and weaknesses.

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1. Learn as much math and, if possible, statistics as you can.

2. In English and social studies, hone your analytical and critical thinking skills across the widest range of topics in history, current events, and the humanities.

3. Add some computer science, data science, or engineering design to these core learning tasks.

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Try Out Coding

To go further into AI skill-building, try out coding clubs or short courses, robotics teams, or other tech-focused programs at your school or in the community. Working collaboratively on open-ended design challenges will

give you a flavor for the kind of workplace projects you will find in almost any professional setting, whether they involve AI or not.

After High School

After high school, make sure AI skills are part of your options for further education. Both two- and four-year colleges are racing to figure out how to incorporate AI content into their programs. For highly technical, mathand computer-intensive pathways designed to prepare developers and builders of actual AI systems, see

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EXPLORE ONLINE AI CLASSES All of these programs are free and easily found via online searching: Discover AI in Daily Life: part of Google’s Applied Digital Skills program, a sequence of nine online multimedia lessons offering hands-on, real-world AI learning experiences.

AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 6-12: from Common Sense Media, eight online lessons of 20 minutes or less.

CRAFT: Stanford University-developed AI literacy resources with videos, lesson plans, and activities.

Experience AI: a collaboration of Raspberry Pi and Google DeepMind, the most technically advanced of the group, but still focused on AI literacy.

page 44. For general student populations wanting a lighter touch, the approaches range greatly, and it can take a bit more digging to find the program that works for you.

Community Colleges

Two innovative community college programs are at Oakton Community College in Illinois and Miami Dade College in Florida. A four-course program, the Essential Applications of AI Certificate at Oakton delivers job-relevant knowledge and practical skills for students, all without coding or pro-

gramming. Miami Dade offers a threecourse certificate program called AI Awareness, which can stand alone as an AI literacy experience or lead to more technical degrees in AI at the associate or even bachelor’s level.

Programs like these are launching in quickly growing numbers at two-year schools across the country.

Four-Year Schools

At the four-year level, approaches to grounding students in AI basics are evolving rapidly. The University of Florida is integrating AI concepts and

practices into coursework across the entire undergraduate curriculum, reflecting the pervasive impact that AI promises to have on careers in every sector of the economy. The same imperatives driving the Florida efforts are putting pressure on every other college, too. Make sure the schools you like offer real opportunities to learn how to think about and use AI tools.

If you want to delve more deeply into AI learning but still steer clear of a technical degree in the field, consider programs in Science and

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WHAT TO DO NOW Technology Studies or Information Science. They can take various forms, sometimes more like liberal arts subjects and other times more like technical degrees. Temple University in Philadelphia, for example, offers both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree

in Information Science. And Science and Technology Studies programs are often available as minors, a way to explore issues associated with AI and technology in general alongside a larger commitment to another field of possibly greater interest.

Start today

The only wrong approach to building AI skills is to avoid doing it in the first place. No matter what career path you choose, understanding AI and being able to use it will play a huge role in the success and rewards you earn along the way.

Dive Into the World of Generative AI A

s previously mentioned, generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content, and it's being used in all kinds of careers.

The great thing is, you can get started learning about it right now. You'll soon discover that it makes your life easier, more creative and fun, and will make your future self more marketable. But keep in mind that AI can make mistakes, so always double-check things.

SCHOOLWORK ⊲ Learning and studying: You can input articles, textbook chapters, or study notes into summarizebot .com or quillionz.com, which then produces concise summaries, key points, flashcards, or even quizzes for study. You can also ask ChatGPT to give feedback on an assignment. ⊲ Solving math problems: The generative AI version

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or analyze music compositions, offering insights into structure and composition techniques.

W E I REV of Khan Academy, khanmigo.ai can not only solve complex math problems but also explain the steps taken to reach the solution, helping you understand the process and improve your problem-solving skills.

CREATIVE PROJECTS ⊲ Illustrations: Generative AI like openai.com/dall-e-3 and www.adobe.com/ products/firefly.html can

create images based on text descriptions. This can be useful for visualizing concepts, creating artwork for projects, or even designing graphics for presentations. Or for fun! A tip: type in “Make it weird” in the prompt for extra goofiness. Give it a try!

(See our example.) ⊲ Music aiva.ai can compose music based on certain styles or moods,

OTHER IDEAS ⊲ Next book to read: Give these bots your favorite reads and they will spit back recommendations: readow.ai/ or findyournextbook.ai/ ⊲ Plan a family vacation: Give ChatGPT lots of specifics to get the best results. For instance, we want to drive, it needs to be less than 6 hours away, we want to be near water and be able to rent bikes, etc. ⊲ Find a great hike in your area: ChatGPT partnered with All Trails to make it even easier to find the right hike for you: chat.openai.com/g/g-KpF6-lTka3-alltrails ⊲ Play around with it.

Get a little wacky with ChatGPT. You might end up somewhere you never imagined!

IMAGE CREATED BY DALL-E BY OPENAI

CAREERS: Introduction

AI AND YOUR CAREER

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n the one hand, the effects of AI on the workplace seem

to be increasingly positive. It is helping companies become more efficient and productive, as people are getting more done in their jobs and taking less time to do it. Moreover, offloading repetitive, dull tasks to AI systems frees up people to do the more interesting, imaginative things that human intelligence excels at.

At the same time, AI is making people more nervous about the future. In growing numbers, surveys find that people expect AI to bring big change to their lives, at home and at work. And majorities expect these changes to be for the worse.

For sure, some kinds of jobs will change or even disappear, as AI continues to evolve and become more capable. At the same time, entirely new jobs will appear and become common in less time than we would ever guess. And in even greater numbers, fields we know well now will change in amazing ways. Career opportunities for people with AI skills and a willingness to learn will make the workplace of the future an exciting, rewarding place in ways we can hardly imagine. Keep reading to learn more about really cool AIdriven changes already happening.

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CAREERS: Healthcare

The Future of Medicine AI-powered diagnoses and support for doctors usher in a new era of care.

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f you’re interested in working in a medical field, you will almost certainly interact with AI on a day-to-day basis. Numerous advances are being made at the intersection of AI and medicine, so much so, that some hospitals are hiring chief artificial intelligence officers to coordinate efforts. Here are a few examples of AI in medicine:

Reading Scans and Diagnosing Disease

Analyzing MRIs, CT scans and X-rays can be a tedious, time-consuming, and stressful process for doctors. To miss a diagnosis or not identify a problem with a scan could be life-threatening for the patient. Fortunately, this is the kind of work AI excels at. Companies like Aidoc and Viz.ai have developed AI algorithms to analyze medical scans. Doctors who use these systems say it finds problems like tumors or fractures with high accuracy, sometimes even better

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than humans. Google aims to eliminate MRIs and CT scans altogether: the company has made breakthroughs in using AI to predict heart disease through, yes, eye scans. Your eyes can tell a lot about your heart health.

Meanwhile a company called behold.ai has developed a medical diagnosis platform for lung cancer and stroke. With this platform, patients need only wait a couple of hours for a diagnosis instead of weeks. The error rate is less than one percent as compared to 13.5 percent for radiologists, reducing missed lung cancer cases by 60 percent.

A company called Tempus is using AI to fight cancer and other life-threatening diseases. They’ve built an enormous library of clinical and molecular data of patients with similar conditions and a system to make that data accessible and useful to doctors. They can also help doctors

quickly find relevant and actionable clinical trials for their patients.

failure to sleep issues. Remote monitoring helps manage chronic diseases and provides real-time data for personalized care.

O C W E I V E R Monitoring Patients Remotely

A patient at home with a wearable device equipped with AI can have vital signs continuously monitored, with healthcare staff receiving alerts for any anomalies or potential health issues.

Several companies have developed these devices, including Phillips, Honeywell, and Vivify Health.

Patients can be monitored for everything from heart

Patient Support

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants from companies like InTouch Health provide patient support, answer medical queries, and assist with appointment scheduling, reducing administrative burdens on healthcare staff.

Help with Paperwork Doctors often express frus-

tration about the time and effort they must dedicate to administrative tasks. These tasks include typing detailed patient notes into electronic medical records, which are necessary for patient treatment plans and billing. Companies like Abridge, Ambience Healthcare, Augmedix, and Nuance have come to the rescue with AI software that quickly converts a real-time (or electronic) patient-doctor conversation into a clinical document, saving up to three hours per day.

Another benefit has been

OPY

to improve the experience of the patient visit since doctors can focus on their patient instead of typing notes. Plus patients get a handy summary of their visit to stay on top of meds and appointments. This is good news, since research has found that patients tend to forget about 80 percent of what doctors and nurses tell them during their visits.

Future Role: Assist in Surgery?

Doctors are already using robots extensively on oper-

ating tables for precise, minimally-invasive surgeries. Companies like Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and the Butterfly Network are taking the next logical step by working on AI-assisted surgeries. After reviewing of millions of surgical videos, AI has the ability to anticipate the next 15 to 30 seconds of an operation and provide additional oversight during the surgery.

In the future, AI-based surgical systems could map out an approach to each patient’s surgical needs to guide and streamline surgical procedures. AI might offer suggestions such as “put in a drain” or “do a bubble test.” Eventually, AI also will likely be able to perform simple tasks through the robot, including closing a port site and tying a suture or a knot.

Most AI and robotic surgery experts seem to agree that the prospect of an AIcontrolled surgical robot completely replacing human surgeons is improbable. After all, AI is intended to augment the surgeon’s decision-making and execution skills, not replace them.

With hospitals notoriously short-staffed and doctors famously overworked, AI could help make the profession a little easier to manage, and also provide a better patient experience.

New Drugs & Personalized Treatments On the medical treatment side, AI helps scientists find new drugs faster by analyzing data and making predictions about efficacy and safety.

Machine learning models are used to predict how drugs interact with specific targets and evaluate their safety. Roivant Sciences is one such company with over 40 drugs in development.

AI also helps customize treatment plans based on a person’s genetic information, medical history, and lifestyle.

A company called bioSyntagma uses AI to eliminate trialand-error cancer treatments by taking a patient’s “molecular fingerprint” and identifying the best among various therapies for that particular person. This helps make treatments more effective and reduces the chances of side effects.

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CAREERS: Finance

Data-Driven Money Decisions From investing strategies to fraud detection, AI data is elevating the financial sector.

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f you think a career in finance is more your speed, listen up: Having a basic grasp of AI concepts can significantly boost your appeal, especially in roles that involve data analysis, risk management, or investment strategies. Indeed, AI is all over the finance world, streamlining processes, improving risk analysis, increasing efficiency, and personalizing services for their clients. Here are a few ways:

Figuring Out the Best Investment Strategies

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When you manage $9.1 trillion in assets, insights into where to invest can come in handy. BlackRock, one of the world’s largest investment management firms, uses AI and machine learning to analyze vast amounts of data and make informed investment decisions. AI algorithms assess risks, optimize portfolios, and provide real-time insights to investment managers.

Both Vanguard, a leading asset management company, and Robinhood, a much smaller investment platform, also use AI-powered tools to analyze market trends and investor behavior, helping them develop effective investment strategies. These AIdriven systems enable finance companies to make data-driven decisions

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and offer personalized investment advice to their clients.

For individuals who cannot afford the fees of a traditional investment advisor, AI again comes to the rescue in the form of robo-advisors. These are AI-driven systems that create and manage investment portfolios based on individual goals and risk tolerance, with minimal human involvement.

Companies like Vanguard, Fidelity Investments, Betterment, and many others provide this lower-cost option.

Fraud Detection and Prevention

Fraud is an enormous problem in finance, costing companies billions.

Finance companies like PayPal are fighting back, though, using AI algorithms to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. PayPal’s AI-based system analyzes vast amounts of transaction data, user behavior patterns, and contextual information to identify suspicious activities in real time. Mastercard uses AI-powered technology, such as Decision Intelligence, to analyze patterns and detect potential fraud. These systems use machine learning to continuously adapt and improve fraud detection capabilities, ensuring the security of customer transactions.

Faster Loan Approvals

Getting approved for a loan used to take weeks, which made buying a home just that more challenging. Today, homebuyers can sometimes get approved in a manner of hours. How? Financial companies like Rocket Mortgage and banks like Chase and Capital One are leveraging AI to move the loan approval processes along

Y more quickly. AI algorithms help determine whether a customer can afford a mortgage, based on income, debts, and savings. AI also spots fake documents and suggests the best loan options, making the whole process smoother and smarter.

Automated Customer Service Customer service chatbots have an-

noyed us for years, but thanks to AI they are finally getting a little more useful. Modern AI-powered systems are better at understanding complex questions, interpreting nuances, and even detecting our mood or intent.

These systems can access a customer’s history, preferences, and previous interactions to offer personalized support, making interactions feel more rel-

evant and engaging. And, of course, this kind of automated service is available 24/7. Bank of America’s AI-powered virtual assistant, called Erica, provides exactly this kind of personalized customer service. Wells Fargo and many other banks use AI chatbots to assist customers with inquiries and provide instant support, enhancing the overall customer experience (mostly).

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CAREERS: The Environment

Innovations for the Planet Not all AI advances are in technical fields.

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f you’re interested in a career that involves protecting the planet and its species, you might be surprised to learn that AI has become a potent ally. Take a look:

Wildlife Research and Conservation

Tracking endangered species traditionally involves capturing and tagging them or attaching radio or GPS collars to the animals. These are expensive and labor-intensive efforts that can disturb the animals’ natural behaviors and environment. Companies like Wild Me and Smart Parks have found a way to use photography or drones plus AI-powered computer vision to monitor and safeguard wildlife from a distance. By analyzing unique markings and patterns (think zebra stripes or the notches on a whale’s tail), AI helps track individual animals, aiding in their protection. Researchers can quickly determine whether populations are growing or shrinking and respond swiftly to emerging threats or emergencies, such as poaching incidents or habitat destruction.

Fighting Climate Change

Climate change is driving more frequent and intense wildfires, and those

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burns are making up an increasing share of planet-heating pollution. A company called Dryad is on the case, using AI and sensors in forests to find small burns before they spread into mega-fires. The company has 50 sensor installations from the Middle East to California.

The fight against climate change relies heavily on accurate data and predictive models, and AI can play a big role here. For instance, companies like ClimateAI use AI and machine learning to assess climate-related risks, helping businesses and governments to adapt their operations and supply chains. It can also identify opportunities, such as new locations for climatesmart expansion or increased demand for weather-dependent goods.

Checking Our Environmental Impact

AI can also keep an eye on how our actions are affecting the environment, to help us use our resources wisely.

For example, companies like Descartes Labs use AI and satellite imagery to track agriculture and forestry practices to minimize deforestation.

Trase similarly collects data to show how products, like cocoa for instance, get from where they’re made to where

people buy them. It helps determine how much harm is being done to the environment to create and export these products, promoting sustainable sourcing and transparency.

Cleaning the Ocean

Our oceans are, sadly, full of plastic waste. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fish, and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey — most then die of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic. The Ocean Cleanup is deploying AI-powered robotic systems to remove that plastic debris from the oceans, with a goal to extract 90% of it.

Monitoring Water and Air Quality

Farmers depend on weather conditions for their livelihood, but AI makes it a little easier. When they install Arable’s small solar-powered AI devices in their fields, they can collect data about rainfall, humidity, and soil conditions, and thereby optimize water usage, and reduce waste. And Aclima has created roving sensors to measure air quality block by block, aiding pollution control efforts and improving public health.

Better Recycling

Recycling, while important, is expensive and inefficient due in part to the initial manual sorting stage. EverestLabs has taken steps to solve the problem, creating the world’s first AIpowered operating system for recycling plants. Using vision technology and AI, robotic arms can quickly identify and sort packaging materials, resulting in more recycled materials and less waste. Even better, it’s easily integrated into existing recycling plants.

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CAREERS: National Defense US Navy’s MANTAS T-12 unmanned surface vessels

A New Defense Frontier

From autonomous drones to cybersecurity, AI is changing modern warfare.

A

ny career dedicated to protecting our country will mean getting comfortable with AI. The Department of Defense (DoD) has embraced AI as a cornerstone of national security, incorporating it into weaponry, decision-making, and operations.

Drones and AI Pilots

Already a tactical workhorse, AI is used in drones, submarines, and vehicles to identify high-value targets and enable precision strikes. The U.S. Air Force has set its sights on 1,000 compact, unmanned jet fighters for low-altitude, direct-attack flights, in development by

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companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. AI-driven drones are key assets in conflict zones like Yemen and Ukraine, replacing soldiers on risky scouting and logistical tasks. Meanwhile, Shield AI is working on AI systems for autonomously controlled military equipment of almost any kind.

Revolutionizing Warfare With Software

Palantir is shaping modern warfare with the digital triad of algorithms, AI, and data harvested from satellites and drones. The company’s software enables rapid target identification, weap-

ons selection, and battle damage assessments shortened from hours to minutes. Ukraine has benefited from Palantir technologies against Russia, and a recent $250 million contract with the company will deliver newer, better AI tools for future use in battle.

Enhanced Surveillance

AI excels at understanding images and videos. It can recognize objects, places, and sometimes people, which helps in monitoring threats and reading the battlespace. Anduril uses AI in realtime surveillance and reconnaissance, offering enhanced detection and track-

Similar to a human pilot, Shield AI’s Hivemind AI Pilot reads and reacts to the battlefield.

ing to significantly improve monitoring and threat identification. This capability means that AI can help spot suspicious activities, track the movement of assets, or monitor border areas without human analysts having to sift through thousands of hours of video. AI-enhanced image analysis can distinguish between civilian and military assets with high accuracy, providing crucial intelligence for decision-making.

Anduril's AI-enabled Sentry can autonomously identify, detect and track objects of interest.

frequencies or trends in discussions, and analyzes content tone to determine if it’s positive, negative, or neutral. AI also predicts future trends, alerting security officials to possible threats or opportunities in public data.

Y P O C W Harnessing Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) involves gathering and analyzing publicly available data, like websites, social media, government documents, and news, to aid decision-making.

AI significantly enhances OSINT by efficiently processing this vast trove of information. It quickly searches through online data to find specific details, identifies patterns such as topic

Overcoming Language Barriers With NLP

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is crucial for intelligence today, helping break language barriers and making it easier to understand global conversations. Thanks to AI, these tools are faster and more precise, aiding significantly in interpreting international dialogues.

Cybersecurity’s AI Helper

AI is essential for identifying cyber threats. It analyzes network traffic to find signs of cyberattacks, helping to stop them before they cause harm.

See page 32 to read about this.

Decision-Making Made Easier

AI’s role in decision-making processes within the DoD cannot be overstated.

High-ranking officials often encounter decisions laden with significant implications. Here, AI serves as a crucial aid, dissecting extensive data to furnish insights and recommendations.

While AI does not replace human decision-makers, it enriches their understanding of available options, thereby helping them to make well-informed choices grounded in data analysis.

The integration of AI into military operations, however, comes with the responsibility to use these technologies ethically and in compliance with international laws. The DoD has made rules to make sure AI is used openly, responsibly, and under human control, checking that AI does what it should. If you are considering a career in national security, it’s important to know how to use AI properly.

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CAREERS: Cybersecurity

AI Ramps Up Cyber Warfare How cutting-edge AI solutions are shaping the future of digital defense.

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yber criminals, like many other professionals, have discovered that AI is their superpower.

They are using AI and its machine learning capabilities to unleash attacks with unprecedented speed and scale, outpacing traditional cyber defenses.

These tech-savvy thieves use AI to rapidly steal identities in large numbers, automate schemes to drain bank accounts, spread harmful malware, and steal valuable data. Their AIdriven assaults are crafty enough to modify their digital tracks, making them hard to spot and allowing them to linger in systems long after the initial invasion. Moreover, they’re employing AI to generate eerily realistic deepfakes — ­­ fake images, videos, and audio — to deceive and manipulate.

Cybersecurity companies are fighting back, putting AI-enabled protections to work against such AI-enabled attacks. Here’s how, with examples of companies leading the way:

ple use networks to find anything odd that might mean trouble, like hackers trying to break in or malware trying to spread.

Fighting Malware

Speaking of malware, AI-driven antivirus solutions from companies like CrowdStrike use machine learning to catch and stop new malware strains.

Palo Alto Networks uses behavioral analysis to identify malware based on unusual activity. In other words, AI doesn’t just know about old viruses; it learns about new ones too, stopping them before they cause harm.

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Spotting Threats

Companies like Darktrace, Cisco, and Symantec have AI-powered systems to detect and respond to suspicious activities in real time. These systems look at how data moves and how peo-

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Catching Phishing Attempts

Have you ever received a suspicious email? If you haven’t, it’s likely because AI tools equipped with Natural Language Processing (NLP) from companies like Proofpoint and FireEye can identify emails attempting to deceive you into sharing personal information or downloading malware. They do this by analyzing the email’s content and the sender’s details.

Watching User Behavior

AI can keep an eye on how people within a network normally use their

computers. If someone starts acting differently, AI notices and raises the alarm, which could mean someone’s account got hacked or someone inside is up to no good. This kind of monitoring, called User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA), can detect anomalies in the behavior of not only the users in a network but also the routers, servers, and endpoints in that network. Cyberhaven, Splunk, and Exabeam are just a few of the companies that have developed this software.

Keeping Networks Safe

AI-enhanced firewalls developed by

Fortinet help control the flow of data in and out of a network, blocking weird or dangerous traffic. Cloudflare also uses AI to monitor and control traffic flows, defending against overwhelming data attacks that can shut down websites.

Organizing Security Alerts

With so much data to watch, AI helps sort out what’s normal from what’s a real threat, making it quicker for security teams to react to real problems.

Security Information and Event Management, SIEM for short, is a security

solution that helps organizations detect, analyze, and respond to threats before they harm business operations. Many companies such as Microsoft, IBM, and Splunk offer this type of oversight.

Learning About New Threats

Companies like Recorded Future, IntSights, and Anomali use AI to gather information on new types of cyber attacks, keeping organizations informed about emerging dangers and ready to defend themselves before anything happens.

Automating Security Tasks

AI can take over repetitive tasks, like responding to common threats, which lets humans focus on the tricky stuff.

Automating these tasks also means they can work 24/7, always on the hunt for threats. Companies like Cisco, Vectra, and Rapid7 offer these cyber tools.

As cyber criminals exploit AI for harm, defenders are countering with AI-based protections. This arms race emphasizes the need for cybersecurity measures to improve more quickly than the attacks they’re designed to stop.

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CAREERS: Manufacturing

Smarter, Faster, Safer On the assembly line with humans, AI boosts efficiency and quality.

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anufacturing is yet another field getting a makeover from the advent of AI. On both the business and technical side, manufacturing professionals are taking advantage of what’s possible with AI to remake the field.

Robotics and Automation

When you imagine AI in manufacturing, you probably think of robotics, and rightly so. Companies like Amazon use robots to move items back and forth and to pick and pack orders. Car companies like BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, and Tesla use AI robotics extensively in their factories to manufacture and assemble vehicles.

Robots with AI vision systems can weld, paint, and assemble cars with incredible precision. These systems can also handle repetitive and dangerous tasks, such as lifting and assembling heavy materials — improving worker safety and

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production efficiency.

These companies and many others also use collaborative robots (cobots) equipped with AI, which work alongside human workers, enhancing productivity and flexibility. The Coca-Cola Company uses cobots in its bottling and packaging facilities to improve production efficiency and quality control. Procter & Gamble has adopted cobots in its consumer goods production, including tasks like packaging and material handling. Some cobots can learn tasks, avoid physical obstacles, and work side-byside with humans. Universal Robots is a pioneer in cobot manufacturing and has a wide range of clients across different industries.

Quality Control

Manufacturing errors can make automobiles and airplanes deadly, so quality control is critical. Computers are better than humans at detecting anomalies,

defects, and imperfections, so many manufacturing companies have adopted AI-powered image recognition and computer vision systems to enhance their operations. One well-known example is Siemens AG, a global manufacturing and technology company. Siemens uses this technology to detect defects in manufacturing components and finished products, allowing them to pull products or fix issues before products are shipped to customers.

Semiconductor companies, including Samsung, Google, and NVIDIA, also use AI and machine learning to control quality, optimize chip design, and improve manufacturing. Many other manufacturing companies across different industries, such as electronics and consumer goods, have also embraced AIpowered image recognition and computer vision to enhance quality control.

Making Predictions

While none of us can predict the future, being able to anticipate possible machinery issues can save time and money. AI can analyze sensor data from connected equipment and historical maintenance records to predict equipment failures and schedule maintenance proactively, avoiding unexpected production down-

time. General Electric pioneered predictive maintenance to improve the reliability and efficiency of their industrial equipment, such as gas turbines, wind turbines, and locomotives.

Similarly, IBM provides predictive maintenance technology that Washington, DC, uses to help maintain its water hydrants. Meanwhile, an AI company called C3.ai provides predictive maintenance systems for more than 10,000 control valves and critical equipment for Shell and for Con Edison’s electric grid which serves more than 7 million customers.

AI can also predict how well a product will sell.

Companies like Walmart use AI to analyze historical sales data and market trends to develop more informed sales forecasts. This forecasting helps them optimize their inventory and ensure that the right products are available when customers want them.

What does the future hold for AI and manufacturing?

Speed, precision, and quality control in manufacturing will certainly improve as more AI systems are implemented. And as machines become smarter, they will be able to take on more and more repetitive tasks, freeing humans to spend more time solving other problems.

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CAREERS: Transportation

Planes, Trains, and Self-Driving Vehicles AI helps reduce congestion, improve safety, and lower fuel use.

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he transportation industry moves people and things from one place to another using roads, trains, buses, planes, and ships. It’s a complex system where different parts work together and affect each other. Nowadays, vehicles like cars, planes, and ships have sensors that collect data about what’s around them. AI technology can quickly analyze this enormous amount of data to improve transportation.

Here are a few examples:

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Safer Skies

In Los Angeles, LAX airport handles around 1,600 takeoffs and landings per day.

Thankfully, AI is there to help air traffic controllers manage the flow of airplanes in the sky. AI-based

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tools analyze data and predict where planes should go, reducing delays and keeping flights safe.

AI technology also helps predict the weather more accurately for pilots and air traffic controllers. By analyzing lots of data quickly, AI can give better warnings about storms and bad weather, helping airlines plan safer routes for their flights.

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Smarter Driving

The promise of self-driving cars — and trucks — is becoming a reality with the help of AI. Companies like Waymo, Tesla, and TORC Robotics are leading the way, using AI algorithms to interpret sensor data and make split-second decisions on the road. They

can take you where you need to go and use AI smarts to dodge potholes, navigate tricky intersections, and even parallel park like a pro.

Managing Traffic Jams

Traffic congestion costs the

U.S. economy $87 billion annually, with commuters spending an average of 42 hours stuck in traffic each year. Companies like Rekor Systems use AI algorithms to analyze real-time traffic data from various sources, such as cameras, sensors and GPS devices. The AI

age, and routing to reduce congestion, improve on-time performance, and increase capacity on rail networks.

Freight, the AI Way

Ever wondered how all those online orders get from point A to point B without causing a traffic meltdown?

Well, companies like Convoy harness the power of AI to streamline freight transportation. By optimizing routes, matching shipments with available trucks, and predicting delivery times, AI algorithms can minimize fuel consumption and emissions while maximizing efficiency.

This benefits businesses by reducing costs and contributes to a greener, more sustainable future.

Predictive Maintenance

uses all this data to predicttraffic patterns, adjust signal timings, and dynamically reroute vehicles to minimize congestion and improve overall efficiency. Customers include cities, local governments, and transportation and law enforcement agencies.

Autonomous Trains

As with self-driving cars, some rail operators are exploring the use of AI to develop autonomous trains.

Alstom, a leading manufacturer of rail equipment and systems, has showcased prototype autonomous trains and is testing their

performance in real-world settings. AI systems control train speed, braking, and routing, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.

And as with planes, trains have AI-powered traffic management systems to optimize schedules, track us-

Companies like IBM, GE, and Siemens offer predictive maintenance solutions for trains, planes, and automobiles (among other things). This means they use AI technology to anticipate and prevent equipment failures in advance. By examining data from sensors and monitoring systems, AI algorithms can recognize patterns that suggest possible malfunctions or maintenance needs. This approach enables proactive maintenance, minimizing downtime and enhancing operational efficiency.

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CAREERS: Education

Empowering Teachers

AI in the classroom provides educators with new teaching tools — and a way to be ethical guides.

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re your teachers using AI? If they are assigning online interactive lessons and checking your work for plagiarism, they definitely are. AI brings amazing opportunities for teachers to make lessons more dynamic and help students learn in innovative ways. However, concerns persist that AI might limit students’ ability to think for themselves and do original work. If you’re thinking about a career in teaching, knowing how to use AI wisely is key.

are most relevant to their needs, promoting deeper understanding and engagement with the material.

Tools to Help Students Learn Better

AI tools like ChatPDF can analyze PDFs of articles and answer specific questions, making it easier for students to engage with complex texts and for teachers to incorporate diverse resources into their lessons.

Additionally, AI tutors such as TutorOcean, AI-Tutor, and Khanmigo provide customized support, ensuring that students receive help tailored to their individual needs. These technologies not only enhance assessment practices and analytics but also support educators in providing targeted assistance, fostering an inclusive and efficient learning environment. Similarly, interactive AI games like Fillout can teach basic skills in a fun and engaging way. And other AI systems can assess students’ written work, providing immediate feedback and suggestions for improvement.

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Personalized Teaching and Learning

One of the major benefits of AI in education is the ability to personalize the material for easier teaching and learning. AI tools like ChatGPT, Eduaide, and Quizizz can generate customized learning materials, such as worksheets, quizzes, and reading assignments, tailored to meet each student’s unique learning goals, strengths, and interests. The analytics provided by these AI platforms offer deep insights into student progress, helping educators identify areas where additional support may be necessary. This personalization ensures that students receive instruction and practice that

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Help With Grading and Administrative Tasks

Digital AI platforms like Gradescope

provide educators with online solutions for distributing and evaluating various types of assignments, including traditional written homework, essays, and assessments completed on bubble sheets. AI-assisted grading significantly reduces the time it takes to mark assignments, allowing teachers to focus more on providing qualitative feedback and assessing students’ understanding and skills. Chatbots can also help teachers write letters of recommenda-

tion for their students and correspond with parents and administrators.

The Big P

Of course, educators worry a lot about how easily students can generate essays and reports through the AI bots and pass them off as their own. Plagiarism not only undermines the educational process but also deprives students of critical thinking and writing experiences. But teachers can use AI

as a “teachable moment,” incorporating discussions about the ethical use of AI into their curriculum. Open conversations about the purpose and value of original work can set clear expectations for students. Assignments that require a student’s personal reflection and experience can help. Project-based learning, in-class discussions, and presentations can also encourage original student contributions. Plagiarism detectors are evolv-

ing to catch AI-written content, but they aren’t perfect. Teachers can often spot inconsistencies in students’ writing that suggest misuse of AI, however. A sudden shift in the quality or style of writing, for instance, may prompt a conversation with a student.

Thus, beyond technology, the educators become even more vital. They serve not only as learning guides but also as ethical guides, helping to shape responsible digital citizens.

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CAREERS: Film Production A scene from "The Mandalorian,” which uses AI-generated backgrounds.

R Movie-Making Is All In From script analysis to sets and body doubles, five ways movies are adding AI. 1. Script Writing and Analysis

Fom the very start of film production, AI plays a role. Tools such as ScriptBook use natural language processing to evaluate scripts, forecast box office performance, and provide valuable insights into plot and character development. Additionally, these tools offer

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detailed feedback on dialogue, pacing, and structure, helping screenwriters refine their work.

2. AI-Generated Sets

Imagine a film set where any environment — from a hyper-realistic alien planet to a crumbling medieval castle

— can be created without physical props or even leaving the studio. This is now a reality as traditional physical sets are increasingly being enhanced or even replaced by virtual realities crafted entirely by AI. Used in shows like “The Mandalorian,” this technology employs large LED screens to show-

A scene from “The Mandalorian.”

in a movie’s visual effects. It uses algorithms to automatically generate detailed, lifelike visuals like explosions, storm scenes, and natural disasters.

AI accomplishes this by analyzing thousands of real-world images and videos, learning how different materials respond to various conditions — for example, how buildings might crumble in an explosion or how trees bend and break during a storm. This information is used to create visual effects that realistically mimic these reactions within their environments. These simulations involve reproducing the physical properties of materials, explosions, smoke, and weather conditions, tasks that would typically require extensive manual effort and expertise. Additionally, by using AI to simulate these costly and hazardous effects, filmmakers can avoid the risks and high expenses of executing actual stunts and explosions.

This technology not only enhances the realism of performances but also simplifies the dubbing process for foreignlanguage releases.

Additionally, suppose a director wishes to alter an actor’s facial expressions in post-production. In that case, they can do so using Disney’s FaceDirector software. This software analyzes different takes to isolate and combine the best expressions and emotional intensities from each. This capability is invaluable in scenes where reshooting is not feasible, helping to achieve the desired emotional impact without additional filming. This technology was effectively used in “Avengers: Infinity War” to refine emotional expressions in complex CGI scenes.

Y P O C W E I V E R 4. AI-Assisted Acting

With AI case AI-generated or pre-rendered backgrounds in real time. Eliminating the need for green screens, this approach offers actors an immersive setting that adjusts dynamically to camera movements and lighting, significantly boosting the authenticity of their performances and interactions.

3. Cool Visual Effects

Beyond the setting, AI has a big role

Ever wonder how older actors can appear younger in flashbacks? AIdriven software can de-age actors, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional CGI. AI can also create a digital double of an actor for dangerous scenes like fast car chases or big explosions. These computer-generated doubles replicate the actor’s appearance, movements, and expressions, allowing filmmakers to execute complex scenes safely without risking the actor’s well-being.

Furthermore, actors no longer need to learn a foreign language for their roles. A company called Flawless uses AI to perfectly sync actors’ lip movements with dubbed voice-overs, making it appear as though they are speaking another language fluently.

5. Efficient Editing

In post-production, AI significantly reduces the time and cost involved.

Tools like Adobe Sensei use machine learning to automate tedious editing tasks, such as object removal and scene stabilization. AI can also automatically color-adjust the film so that hues and saturation are visually consistent throughout.

Ethical Considerations

The recent actors’ strike highlighted critical concerns regarding the use of AI in filmmaking, particularly around issues of consent and compensation for digital likenesses. The strike successfully led to new agreements that ensure actors are appropriately compensated when their likenesses are digitally reproduced or manipulated.

This resolution is a major advance in acknowledging performers’ rights in the digital age, establishing a precedent for responsible technology use in creative industries.

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CAREERS: Vocational Careers

Smarter Tools, Stronger Skills

From diagnoses to training, AI empowers plumbers, electricians, and builders.

T

raditionally, trade professions such as plumbing, electrical, and construction have relied on manual labor and expertise. However, AI technologies have changed these fields, offering new tools and solutions that enhance efficiency, safety, precision, and training. Take a look:

and offer potential solutions.

Electricians can use AI-driven unique thermal cameras and circuit analysis tools to identify overheating components or faulty wiring without having to open up walls.

Project Planning

Before construction starts, AI can help plan projects by determining the best way to do the work, how much it will cost, and how long it will take. It can even spot potential problems before they happen. Creating models of buildings before they're built helps ensure they're safe, efficient, and within budget. Plus, AI can automatically check if a building plan is up to code.

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Diagnostic Tools

One key area where AI is making a substantial impact is in the diagnosis and maintenance of plumbing and electrical systems. Advanced AI algorithms can analyze complex data patterns to predict potential issues before they occur. For plumbers and electricians, this means the ability to proactively address problems, reducing downtime and preventing costly repairs.

For example, AI-powered tools that listen for sounds can hear the unique frequencies produced by leaking pipes — sound frequencies that the human ear can't detect. They can even detect leaks in pipes buried underground or behind walls! Using AI-powered cameras, plumbers can navigate the complex network of pipes, provide realtime visual data, detect anomalies such as leaks, blockages, or corrosion,

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Training and Simulation

Learning a trade is entering the digital age. Virtual reality (VR) lets trainees practice their skills in a realistic but safe environment. They can wire up a virtual house or install a plumbing system and get instant feedback from AI. It's like playing a video game that teaches you real-world skills. And for those who need extra help, AI tutors offer personalized lessons to help with their weak points.

Customer Service

AI-enabled chatbots and apps can ask homeowners questions to understand their problems before professionals arrive, helping to identify the right tools and parts for the job. These chatbots and apps can also tell homeowners when the workers are coming, offer real-time updates to customers about

pabilities can perform repetitive tasks precisely and consistently. They can check pipes, perform maintenance, and even help with installing cables and wiring. These robots make the work faster and safer and help reduce mistakes. In construction, AI-powered robots can do tasks like laying bricks, pouring concrete, and even using 3D printing to make things. With electrical work in industrial settings, AI-driven robots can efficiently perform tasks like cable routing, freeing human workers for more complex activities.

Safety Improvements

AI technologies can enhance safety measures in electrical work by identifying potential hazards and mitigating risks. Machine-learning algorithms can analyze historical data to predict and prevent accidents, making work environments safer for electricians and other personnel.

Limitations of AI

the status of their plumbing issues, estimate costs and the projected completion time, and request feedback on the service given.

Smart Homes and Buildings

As homes and commercial buildings become smarter and more integrated with IoT (Internet of Things) devices,

more workers will need to know about these new technologies. Electricians, for instance, will need to learn how to install and maintain smart lighting systems, security cameras, and other connected devices.

Robots and Efficiencies

Robotic systems equipped with AI ca-

AI excels at tasks with clear rules and patterns. Still, electrical and plumbing systems are complex, with many variables that don't always follow predictable patterns. In these situations, the judgment and experience of trade professionals are crucial. They use their expertise and intuition to handle unexpected issues, something AI may find challenging, particularly with new or unusual problems.

Although there's concern that AI will eliminate jobs in trade professions, it's more likely to transform them. Tradespeople may need to adapt to using AI technologies and learn new skills and tools. But the essential hands-on aspect of these jobs ensures a continued demand for human expertise, even as job details evolve.

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CAREERS: Become an AI Developer

What Makes AI Work

How human brains create AI magic using tons of data, machine learning, and

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hen we see new technologies doing things we have never seen before in ways we don’t understand, it can seem like magic. Ask ChatGPT to translate the phrase “purple squirrels eat French toast for breakfast” into French, or ask DALL-E to make it into a colorful picture, and the results are mind-blowing. If this is not magic, what in the world is it?

As with all technologies, AI systems like ChatGPT and DALL-E represent lots of hard work by lots of people over a long period of time. Diving more deeply into the technical underpinnings of AI systems can help us understand the human origins and influences behind the seemingly magical capabilities that AI can display.

And coming to a deeper understanding of the technology behind AI systems can help you decide if pursuing further studies and work in the field is something that might be right for you.

Gather Data, and More Data

The primary ingredient in all AI systems is data. Enormous amounts of data, in almost every case. The type of data fed into an AI system depends on the job that the system is meant to do. For example, consider Gmail’s “Smart Reply” function that supplies ready-written responses to incoming emails. It required “training” on almost 240 million sample emails to develop

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P O C W E I V RE

the ability to read and suggest responses to actual emails.

For all this sample email data to serve as training material, though, it had to be collected, classified, organized, labeled, and then formatted so that the AI system could read it. All this work gets done by experts in the field of data science, who understand statistical analysis and modeling, programming, and math in addition to the business purposes of the data used to train an AI system. Data scientists

make sure that the quality, volume, relevance, and format of training data will set up an AI system to deliver reliable, accurate results when it becomes operational. Getting the data right in all these ways is a crucial phase in developing successful AI systems.

Then, the Learning Begins

With a dataset made ready for training, an AI system then must “learn” what to do with it. The process of

IMAGE CREATED BY DALL-E BY OPENAI

spam emails, comparing attributes of each type to improve at telling the difference between the two.

computer programming.

PY

machine learning, at its most basic, consists of instructions or rules that a system follows to classify and then compare features of the real-world objects represented in a dataset.

Called algorithms, these instructions tell the system what sense to make of objects in the dataset, as it reviews features one-by-one to arrive at decisions or predictions about the objects in the dataset. For example, an email system learns to detect spam emails by processing millions of real and

With Programming, the AI Gets Instructions

Machine learning engineers and others with expertise in computer programming and data analysis work together to develop the elements of a machine learning system. They devise models of what they want the AI system to identify and judge, write computer programs that encode the algorithms driving machine learning processes, and monitor overall AI system performance to make sure it does what it has been designed to do.

Machine learning can take on problems ranging from the simple to staggeringly complex. Identifying spam emails is one of the simple problems.

Monitoring traffic conditions via Google Maps and identifying types of images are harder problems. And really difficult machine learning operations include self-driving cars, robotic surgery, and other operations connecting AI systems to changeable circumstances in the physical world. The harder problems require a type of machine learning called deep learning, which takes place within complex computer-based reasoning structures called neural networks.

Add in Neural Networks

Neural networks are based loosely on how neurons connect inside our brains and allow us to think. Organized as sequential layers of data processing operations, neural networks can assess objects in vastly greater detail than regular machine learning systems. In image recognition systems, for example, each layer in a neural network might examine

a single pixel, assess it in comparison to training data, and make a decision about what kind of image it could be part of. It would then pass this decision onto the next layer to factor into the same kind of assessment of a different pixel. This process would repeat itself until all pixels are evaluated, and the AI system could decide whether the picture is of, say, the tan and white coat of a corgi or a loaf of white bread with a tasty, medium-baked crust.

Neural networks are titanic combinations of modeling, programming, and raw computing power. Designing and building them takes expertise and teamwork across fields such as computer science, neurology, math, network design, numerous engineering disciplines, and business and project management. Among others! Employers compete fiercely for the small numbers of people – and teams of people – with these skills. It can take extensive study and the right kind of work experience, but for people who can drive innovations in deep learning applications, the opportunities and rewards can be limitless.

And You Get Magic

The magic of AI, as you can see, comes from teams of people putting skills to work in complex, carefully designed combination across multiple, diverse fields of learning. Nobody can learn everything they need to do this work on their own. But almost anyone can learn something about what makes an AI system work and find a place in one of the fastest-growing, most exciting careers around. Keep reading to find out what kind of degree programs are out there to help you learn what you need to know to make the “magic” of a career in AI into reality for you.

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CAREERS: Become an AI Developer

Explore Degrees and Programs

Vanderbilt University

Schools are moving fast to create multiple options.

A

the basics of AI starts with a s you read in the solid grounding in comlast piece, many puter science, math and moving parts must statistics, and programconnect in complicated ming. The algorithmic modways for AI to do the amazeling, data science, system ing things it does. To learn design, and logic structures how to make AI systems do used in AI systems all build these amazing things — to on advanced learning in become an AI developer — these areas. And knowlyou will need to build unedge across all derstanding and skills these areas in what might goes into seem like an By 2030, building intimidating AI is projected higher-level range of to boost the U.S. AI compocomplicated nents like technical economy by machine fields. But AI 21%. learning projobs are explodcesses, neural ing in number, and networks, and sensing employers’ needs are technologies that define great. Going to school to the outputs of an AI system. study artificial intelligence In addition, the social, ethicould lead you to an excitcal, and practical dimening career in a field that is sions of designing and apalready revolutionizing our plying AI systems should be home and work lives. And part of any course of study we’re only at the beginning in the field. of the AI era.

If you decide to study AI in college, your main goal Just a Few AI Degree will be to build a foundation Programs, for Now in the basics and learn how Studying AI in college, to keep learning. Learning though, is more compli-

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cated than rolling up to the gates of Big State U and declaring yourself an AI major.

For one thing, few schools currently offer full-blown AI degree programs in the first place. Technology moves much faster than education, and colleges are playing catch-up with the companies developing new AI products and systems. Programs on campus are taking shape as quickly as schools can develop them, and “tracks,” “concentrations,” and “specializations” in AI are common. AI majors, however, are rare.

Students planning to study AI in college should first identify their main areas of AI interest and then make sure program opportunities at a particular school match up with what they want to focus on.

People make their way into AI careers from lots of different starting points.

Your career success will ultimately depend on what you can do in the workplace, and employers talk a lot

W E I REV Miami Dade College

about how important demonstrable skills are. But a formal degree is still the best credential for getting started, and both community colleges and four-year schools offer enough op-

Coastline Community College

University of Pennsylvania

Y P O C W Purdue University

tions to suit nearly any student’s particular needs and circumstances.

Community College

The quickest path into the field is a two-year, or com-

munity college, degree program. Community college programs are often closely aligned with local employers’ needs, teaching students concrete, specific skills that prepare them

from a smooth transition into an actual job. And community colleges adapt and adjust more quickly than four-year schools to changing workplace conditions, so AI options are already plentiful and substantive.

A program sponsored by Intel called AI for Workforce offers community colleges a fully developed course of AI study, with over 700 hours of course content, training for classroom instructors, and guidance on successfully running the program. Over 110 schools in 39 states have adopted AI for Workforce, and the program continues to grow. With the Intel name attached to the program, students can be sure they are learning currently relevant skills directly related to workplace needs.

Community colleges are also starting to expand the scope of their programs beyond the traditional twoyear, associate degree level to include four-year bachelor’s offerings. Already available at Houston Community College, four-year programs in AI are launching as well at Miami Dade College, Coastline Community College in California, and Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. All offering comprehensive training in workplace-ready AI skills, these programs promise to make

AI careers accessible to many students who might find more traditional fouryear schools out of reach.

Four-Year Colleges

In a traditional four-year college AI program, you would learn more academic content about AI systems — the “basics of AI” mentioned above — instead of developing hands-on AI skills.

And here is where students need to do their own research. Not all AI programs will suit every student’s needs. Make sure you can get a full education in the basics, supplemented with instruction addressing the social, ethical, and economic dimensions of AI systems. Issues like data privacy, bias in AI algorithms and outputs, equitable management of datasets, effects on people’s jobs, and generally how to use AI for social good are vital considerations for AI professionals, as well as the rest of us.

The first college to offer a degree in AI was CarnegieMellon University, with a program that started in 2018. It offers exemplary breadth and depth in foundational disciplines of AI, as well as full attention to the role of AI in society. MIT and, starting in fall 2024, the University of Pennsylvania, offer similarly structured AI degree programs.

Purdue University offers an

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CAREERS: Become an AI Developer through electives outside the AI program itself.

An Evolving Field

Tennessee Tech

AI program for the “sciencecurious” student, unique in focusing on liberal arts subjects rather than technical topics. Meanwhile, students interested in more technical AI careers typically major in computer science or electrical engineering. Some other schools offering AI

majors include Illinois Tech, Ferris State University, the University of Texas-San Antonio, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Many more schools offer AI as a special topic within computer science or engineering. Tennessee Tech,

AI COURSES TO CONSIDER

O C W E I V E R

Start learning now with an online class.

Google Cloud on Coursera: Google's courses cover topics like Generative AI, Image Generation, and Large Language Models, designed for beginners with flexible pacing.

Coursera's AI Courses: Coursera offers a wide range of AI courses, including those from renowned providers like IBM, Stanford University, and the University of Pennsylvania, covering topics from AI in Healthcare to AI for Business. Options include both free and paid courses, with beginner and advanced levels. edX AI Courses: Similar to Coursera, edX focuses on computer science and AI, featuring courses from Harvard, IBM, and Google, such as Harvard's CS50's Introduction to AI with Python, and IBM's AI for Everyone.

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The future of AI education will look different from the present. To stay relevant, every college will have to integrate AI topics into courses of study across all curricula. Some schools are already signaling what such an approach might look like. Vanderbilt University has announced plans to form an entire, new college for example, offers a Data organized around AI, to be Science and Artificial Intellicalled the “College of Congence concentration as nect Computing.” Likewise, part of a Computer Science the University of South degree. Such options are Florida has announced common at most research plans for a new “Coluniversities, howlege of Artificial ever that does Intelligence, The not mean they CybersecuAI market are all the rity, and is expected same. Picking Computto reach among them ing.” $407 billion takes care; be Other efby 2027. sure the proforts along gram is both these lines broad and deep are sure to come. enough for you to get at So options are abundant least an introduction to as for going to school to bemany different AI-related come an AI developer. fields as possible. You can Above all, though, give always develop hands-on yourself every chance to skills in AI through the learn widely about the field. many, high-quality online AI is here to stay, even if we learning programs available can’t predict exactly what (see the box for examples it will look like. The best of where to start). And inbet for success in an AI corporating the social and career is staying open to all ethical impacts of AI into sources of learning because learning about the field nobody really knows where might be something you the next big bolt of AI lighthave to add in yourself ning is going to strike.

TYPES OF AI JOBS Y

ou have probably figured out that all the innovations in AI products and services did not invent themselves. Smart people had to think them up, put them together, and then figure out how to make them reliably work before they could be released into the big, wide world. This kind of work involves contributions from lots of people with widely varying skills. Take a look at the table for an overview of just some of the roles people play in developing AI systems.

As AI tools continue to evolve and spread, the need for people trained in all these areas will only grow. The World Economic Forum puts AI and Machine Learning Specialists at the very top of its list of fastest-growing jobs of the future. In general, this growth will involve adapting, extending, and modifying AI tools more than building them from the ground up. Your AI expertise could lead to a career in an industry where AI is growing especially fast, like manufacturing, healthcare, retail, media, or business consulting.

Or you might help introduce the benefits of AI to a field where it has yet to be fully utilized. In any case, becoming an AI professional will put you at the front of one of the great technological revolutions of our time.

OPY

Career Role and Starting Salary (approx.)

Definition and Roles

Machine Learning Engineer

⊲ Design, develop, and deploy machine learning

$70,000 $120,000

and model training.

models and algorithms.

⊲ Work on data preprocessing, feature engineering, ⊲ Collaborate with data scientists and data engineers

to optimize AI solutions.

Data Scientist

⊲ Analyze large datasets to extract insights and

$65,000 $120,000

⊲ Build predictive models and statistical algorithms.

AI Software Developer

⊲ Create software applications and systems that

$65,000 $120,000

⊲ Implement AI algorithms into production environments.

Natural Language Processing (NLP) Engineer

⊲ Specialize in processing and understanding human

$70,000 $130,000

⊲ Develop NLP models and applications.

Computer Vision Engineer $70,000 $130,000

drive data-driven decisions.

⊲ Visualize data to solve complex problems.

incorporate AI and machine learning capabilities. ⊲ Optimize and maintain AI software.

language.

⊲ Work on chatbots, language translation, sentiment

analysis, and text summarization.

⊲ Develop AI models for image and video analysis. ⊲ Build computer vision models for tasks like object

recognition, image segmentation, and facial recognition. ⊲ Apply computer vision to fields like autonomous vehi-

cles, medical imaging, and surveillance.

Robotics Engineer

⊲ Design and build robots with AI capabilities.

$70,000 $130,000

and decision-making.

⊲ Create algorithms for robot perception, control, ⊲ Work in various industries like manufacturing,

healthcare, and autonomous vehicles.

AI Ethicist and Policy Specialist $60,000 $120,000

⊲ Focus on the ethical and societal aspects of AI. ⊲ Ensure responsible AI development, address

bias and fairness concerns

⊲ Contribute to the formulation of AI policies

and guidelines.

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CAREERS: Become an AI Developer

Jobs Galore

With a degree in AI, you’ll have your pick of places to work.

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our career path in AI could be as exciting as AI itself. Once you have your degree, you'll have a world of options. You could work at any of the industries we’ve discussed on pages 6-13 and 22-39. They all need AI professionals to advance the work they do.

However, you could also work at big tech companies, AI research labs, or even within academia to shape future AI developers. Your choices will depend on what kind of field you want to get into, the kind of place where you'll thrive, and the impact you want to make.

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Big Tech Companies

Familiar giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta (Facebook) are the leaders in AI. They have a ton of resources and work on really advanced AI stuff that most other places can’t match.

For example, Google

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owns DeepMind, a superstar in AI for health. They’ve created AI that can figure out eye and kidney diseases and a system named AlphaFold that can guess how proteins fold in 3D. This strange-sounding discovery is huge for understanding diseases and making new medicines.

Microsoft is another big player with its Azure cloud service. Companies use this tool to add AI to any platform, like recognizing faces or making smart guesses about future trends. They also offer special AI products custom-made for healthcare and finance to solve specific problems in these fields.

Amazon, meanwhile, has moved way beyond Alexa.

They sell a product called Sagemaker, a one-stop shop for working with machine learning, from starting a project to putting it into action, simplifying the whole

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Meta

Allen Institute for AI

process. Within its own company, Amazon uses AI to figure out what products people will want and how to manage its stock and deliveries alongside AI robots to help with orders.

Meta is heavily investing in AI to create a single system that will recommend videos across all its platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Oculus VR. This new AI model would suggest both short Reels videos and traditional longer ones, aiming to unify different recommendation systems currently in use for those products.

AI Research Labs and Institutes

Places like OpenAI, and the Allen Institute for AI (AI2) are at the very edge of AI research. They’re great if you want to be where the newest discoveries are made.

The collaborative Partnership on AI includes industry leaders like Amazon, Facebook, Google, DeepMind, and Microsoft, among others. Its goal is to study and formulate best practices on AI technologies.

Startups

Stanford University

It can be exciting to work at a startup. You might get to do more different things and have more say than in a bigger company. Startups are also great if you want to work on AI in specific areas

like health, money, or selfdriving cars. (Many of the companies mentioned on pages 22-41 are startups.)

Runway is a startup creating a tool that turns a few typed words into videos. Cohere, meanwhile, is developing AI models that understand, make, and translate human language. These models have broad applications, including customer service and content creation.

Academic Research

If you love teaching and research, consider working at a university. You can help shape future AI developers and do your own research.

Many universities like MIT, Stanford, Georgia Tech, and UC Berkeley have robust AI research institutes. Here’s a link to a complete list: https://bit.ly/4aRgToC.

Nonprofits

Groups like the AI for Good Foundation are perfect if you want to use AI to solve big world problems like poverty, health, and climate change. Also look at non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the objective of improving social conditions. Aiethicist.org/aiorganizations has a good list of worldwide NGOs. So, think about what matters most to you in your job. No matter what, you’ll be in high demand with an AI degree!

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Welcome to the exciting world of AI! Discover how AI is transforming every career field and why becoming AI-literate is more important than ever.

At Start Engineering, our mission is to make careers of the future — such as AI, cybersecurity, engineering, and biotechnology — exciting and accessible to as many students as possible. We publish educational books, develop information resources, and collaborate with individuals and groups to reach diverse K-12 audiences, with a focus on women, minorities, and underserved groups.

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