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- Work on the development of the latest artificial intelligence technology
- Excitng work, at the leading edge of science, with huge potential implications for our society
- Ideal for someone with excellent maths and technology understanding, and also for those with an interest in ethics
As an AI researcher you'll work in the rapidly growing and developing field of artificial intelligence.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
Your role might focus on the development of AI systems or the study of how they can be used. Depending on the kind of research you are involved in you may be researching problems that AI could help solve, developing algorithms or solving engineering problems, or you might be focused on testing, ethics, or the legal implications of AI.
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Most AI researchers will work in an office or a lab and you'll spend time working alone and also as part of collaborative teams. Many of the leading organisations who are developing AI research are in the US, so for some roles you may have the opportunity to travel.
You might work as part of a research centre at a university, or as part of a commercial company researching new products and services, or you might work for the government or a think tank looking at the future of AI, the ethics etc.
You'll need
The kind of preparation you will need to do for this kind of work may depend on the kind of role you want. For those involved in the technical research and development of AI systems, you'll need a strong background in maths, computer science, and technology and it would be helpful to study for a degree and usually a higher degree in one of these or a related subject.
You could then go on to apply for junior research roles in companies, or you might study for a PhD and join a university research team.
If you are interested in roles related to the design, ethics, or legality of AI then your pathway might start with a degree in a different discipline like law, philosophy or design. You might then move on to postgraduate study, or apply for roles at a think tank, government research centre, university, or legal practice.
CAREER PROSPECTS
As the role of AI grows within our society there is likely to be an increase in the demand for specialists in this area, and an increasing number of indirectly related roles (like those in the law) being created.