Market valuation experts assigned the global artificial intelligence market a value of $39.9 billion in 2019 with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 42 percent from 2020 to 2027.

The field of Artificial intelligence is evolving with awe-striking developments. If an individual is interested in soft computing, deep learning, neural networks, robotic systems, or driverless cars then they should become an artificial intelligence (AI) engineer.

The requirement for AI engineers has increased over the past few years. They can experience many exciting knowledge-driven opportunities and can also earn an impressive salary.

AI engineers salary overview in 2021

The demand for artificial intelligence engineers is growing immensely. The Enterprisers Project reports that AI will be offering about 133 million new jobs by 2022. And a recent survey from Dun & Bradstreet stated that 40 percent of the respondent organizations are offering more jobs as a result of using artificial intelligence technology.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of an artificial intelligence engineer in the U.S. is $164,749 in 2021. Salaries range from $142,500 (25th percentile) to $216,500 (90th percentile). These figures are based on several aspects like education level, skills, job responsibilities, experience, industry, and geographic location.

According to another report from Datamation, the average salary for an artificial intelligence programmer is between $100,000 and $150,000. Whereas AI engineers earn an average of $171,715, with the top earners making more than $250,000.
Salaries of AI engineers globally

Globally, AI engineering is considered a most rewarding career path. Below are the details of few countries that pay some amazing salary figures.

• The salary in Australia can be as high as A$110,000 per year.
• The average annual salary in Singapore is S$74,943.
• The entry-level annual average salary in India is around INR 800,000.
• The annual salary in Germany is somewhere around €84,574.
• The annual salary in Canada is over C$85,000 on average.
• The annual salary in the U.K. is over 60,000 pounds.
• AI engineers who have more than 10 years of experience can earn up to

US$ 1,00,00,000 per annum.

Prerequisites to be an AI engineer

The requirement for individuals who have good knowledge of AI skills followed by an advanced degree is very high among various industries. Let’s understand the prerequisites that are needed to be a part of this growing industry.

• One needs to earn a bachelor’s degree first in computer science, mathematics, information technology, statistics, finance, or economics.
• Having a master’s degree in computer science, mathematics, cognitive science, data science, or artificial intelligence will be a great advantage too.
• With five years of experience (preferably more) in various programming languages will be helpful to get an attractive salary.

Key AI skills required

If you are wondering how to become successful in the field of artificial intelligence, you need to have specific skills so that you can perform your day-to-day work activities without any hassles. Below are essential AI skills that you should have knowledge about:

• Knowledge of the programming languages, which include Python, R, Java, C++
• Statistical knowledge like familiarity with concepts of matrices, vectors, and matrix multiplication
• Knowledge of various AI algorithms such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning
• Natural language processing covering the two main areas of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
• Deep Learning and neural networks which are helpful for complex pattern recognition

Top firms hiring for AI positions

There are many firms that are hiring individuals for artificial intelligence engineering. A few of them are:

• NVIDIA
• IBM
• Microsoft
• Google
• Accenture
• Tempus
• Nokia
• Intel
• SAP
• AEye
• AlphaSense

AI jobs by region & state

According to TechRepublic “the states with the most number of AI jobs tend to have strong tech, healthcare, or government sectors.” The top U.S. states for AI jobs and their respective cities are the following:

State City/Cities
California San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego
District of Columbia Washington, D.C.
Washington Seattle
New York New York City
Massachusetts Boston
Illinois Chicago
Texas Austin, Dallas

Top industries where AI engineers are in demand

The demand for skilled artificial intelligence professionals has increased in almost all the major industries. A few of the top industries are:

• Financial services
• Health care
• Technology and home automation
• Media
• Marketing
• Manufacturing
• National security
• Government and military
• IoT-enabled systems
• Retail

End Notes

The high-paying job opportunities in AI are expected to grow more across many industries. If an individual wants to become an AI engineer then mastering the skills will help them to land up in a better job with an appealing salary.