Skills You’ll Need to Prepare for A.I.
Posted November 3rd, 2016
While the term artificial intelligence has been around for almost sixty years, companies have just begun to see that this technology of the future may be closer to reality today. While the idea of a thinking computer still seems odd, companies such as Google, Facebook, IBM, Apple, and Infosys has begun to get on board.
To help develop the A.I. platforms, unique developer skills are required. This makes it challenging for interested businesses to find the employees they need to complete their visionary works. For those interested in joining the IT field in the area of A.I., here are some skills to get you moving towards to future of tech.
Programming
The foundation of most IT developments, including A.I., involves the ability to program and code. Often, these foundational skills are acquired through Computer Science degree programs throughout the nation. LISP, introduced in 1958, was deemed the first language that made A.I. possible with its ability to save information as objects instead of a simple list of numbers. While other specific languages are not always identified as required, building a strong foundation allows you to easily learn new languages as needed.
Statistics
Much of the thought process surrounding A.I. developments require a thorough understanding of statistics. These mathematical principles help guide programming efforts and provide the background necessary to develop the models required in certain courses.
Computer Learning
A.I. focuses on computers that are able to learn and act according to appropriate stimuli. Specific coursework has been developed to help interested students learn about the system design required for this form of data analysis. Predictive modeling is a key component including, but not limited to, the creation of decision trees, nearest neighbors, rule induction, and neural networks.
Computer Vision
Many A.I. projects require the computer to be able to receive, analyze, and interpret data based on images found in our 3D world. Analysis and interpretation are at the core of these courses, as well as the ability to create associations based on the incoming data.
Robotics
When most people think of A.I., they focus on the internal processes required to build a machine that seemingly thinks. However, many of these projects intend to insert the programming into a machine. This means that mechanical and robotics skills are necessary, as well as an understanding of electronics, wiring, and power sources.
Curiosity
Curiosity is not something you can learn directly, but this fledgling field requires an innate desire to explore the unknown and come up with solutions to problems that have yet to be discovered. Successful A.I. professionals will be comfortable working in a field where much of what is being done is considered fairly experimental in nature and may result in numerous failures on the way to success.
Patience
As you work to develop new technologies, especially when little foundation currently exists, patience will be key. It can take a significant amount of time to create systems that operate in entirely new ways. While much research is being conducted, there is nothing publicly available that fully fits the definition of an A.I.
If you are interested in pursuing a career in A.I. or exploring other IT specialties available today, the professional staff at Bayside Solutions can help you make intelligent career decisions. Contact Bayside Solutions Today!
