New AI Jobs Are Emerging: Here’s What You Need to Know
AI is coming for your job.
How often have you heard that in recent months? From ChatGPT writing copy to chatbots taking over customer service, employees everywhere have taken a look at artificial intelligence (AI) and beefed up their résumés.
But those initial worries are starting to cool as employees see the ways the technology can create new opportunities. As with any new technology, it will replace some positions, but it brings with it new opportunities that require specialized skills.
“We’re not heading toward mass unemployment — we’re heading toward mass reinvention,” said Mike Small, president of Akkodis North America. “The future belongs to companies and individuals who are ready to evolve with the technology.”
How do you prepare to make a career pivot? The first step is to understand what these new positions will be. Here are some top AI jobs likely to emerge in the coming years.
6 AI Jobs You Could Soon Get
1. AI Prompt Engineer
AI output starts with the right input. Prompt engineers are trained to communicate with large language models (LLMs), designing and refining inputs that systems like ChatGPT and Claude can understand.
At one time, prompt engineering looked to be a highly technical role, but it’s emerging as an add-on to existing jobs. A content strategist or developer might have prompt engineering baked into their daily duties, for instance. Best of all, this skill doesn’t require an app developer. Critical thinking and creative writing can be combined with technical know-how to do well as a prompt engineer.
In addition to prompt engineers, Michael Finley, CTO and co-founder at AnswerRocket, sees a demand for prompt whisperers. “Like a horse whisperer, the prompt whisperer can come into a production environment that has suddenly and catastrophically broken. The whisperer will draw on deep experience with creating such things to identify the subtle and often surprising cause.”
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2. AI Ethics and Policy Expert
As AI becomes more prevalent, discussions have turned to ethics. AI was trained on human-generated data, and that brings with it plenty of bias. Ethics experts will hold AI accountable, ensuring output is fair and unbiased.
We don’t have to rely solely on businesses to ensure fairness in AI use, though. Regulations are already emerging that work to manage the many concerns AI brings. The European Union’s AI Act is at the forefront of these new policies, but the U.S. and other countries are already in discussions to enact similar regulations. Policy experts can work to ensure organizations are in compliance with existing and upcoming regulations.
New roles that have already emerged from this demand include:
- AI policy analyst
- AI ethicist
- Responsible AI officer
- Algorithm bias auditor
3. Machine Learning Operations
Development operations bring software development and IT operations teams together to work collaboratively. A similar unification is happening with AI, where machine learning operations (MLOps) teams manage the entire lifecycle of machine learning models, from development and testing to deployment and monitoring.
For professionals with experience in development and cloud infrastructure, MLOps could be the perfect career pivot. AI jobs in this area include:
- MLOps engineer
- Model deployment specialist
- ML systems architect
4. AI Trainers and Annotator
Yes, AI was trained on existing data, but the need for continuous training remains. In fact, teams are already hard at work teaching algorithms. AI trainers and annotators label images, classify text, correct AI outputs and role-play in simulated conversations.
This position offers the most opportunity for entry-level workers, although you’ll find job postings for more experienced professionals as well. Although AI trainers can function as salaried employees, many work in a freelance role, so if you’re craving that kind of flexibility or a side hustle, this might be the position for you.
Typical job titles for this role include:
- AI trainer
- AI annotator
- Data labeler
- Content moderation reviewer
5. AI Customer Success and Implementation Strategist
Any tech product needs support, and AI is no different. As more companies use AI tools, the companies developing them will hire talented, friendly professionals to help. These customer-facing AI experts will need to be able to combine product knowledge with problem-solving skills.
But AI customer success jobs go beyond technical support. To excel in this role, you’ll need to be able to onboard and train clients, as well as take client requests and deliver them back to the team. In addition to customer service/success specialist, some possible titles for this role include:
- AI product specialist
- AI solutions consultant
- Customer implementation manager
6. AI Retraining and Workforce Reskilling Expert
The AI revolution brings opportunities for educators, particularly those who specialize in technology fields. Generations of workers will need training on everything from development to sales and marketing. This starts at the school level, with high schools already starting to incorporate AI education into their curricula.
But AI education won’t just be for young students preparing to enter the workforce. Many adults will need to retrain mid-career, often with limited time and/or budget. This will bring a demand for adult education opportunities, both online and locally. Here are some in-demand educator roles emerging from AI:
- AI literacy instructors
- Corporate AI trainers
- EdTech AI curriculum designers
- Vocational AI tutors
What You Can Do Now to Prepare for AI Jobs
Whether you’re a recent graduate or thirty years into your career, AI is likely to impact your future. Here are a few things you can do to prepare:
- Build AI literacy. Tech workers aren’t the only professionals who need to understand what AI can and can’t do. No matter what your line of work, chances are, AI literacy will help your career.
- Learn to prompt. Communicating with LLMs is quickly becoming a necessary skill. Practice giving instructions and generating images.
- Stay flexible. AI will likely be rolled into a wide range of jobs. Consider how these skills will be combined with existing positions that pique your interest.
- Keep learning. Study aspects of AI that interest you and learn as much as you can to prepare for the many times it will come up in conversation.
“If you’re early in your career or thinking about a pivot, my biggest piece of advice is learn how to think with AI, not just about it,” said Daniel Gorlovetsky, CEO at TLVTech. “You don’t need to be a hardcore engineer, but if you understand how to use AI to solve real problems, you’re going to be in demand.”
The Bottom Line on AI Jobs
New technologies have always had an impact on the job market, whether it’s the advent of electricity, the emergence of the internet or the proliferation of AI. While it will eliminate some roles, the number of jobs created by AI brings plenty of opportunities for those willing to learn the technology. Whether you’re a coder, a creative or a people person, there’s a future for you in the AI era as long as you’re willing to adapt.
Stephanie Faris is a professional finance writer with more than a decade of experience. Her work has been featured on a variety of top finance sites, including Money Under 30, GoBankingRates, Retirable, Sapling and Sifter.
