AI has made major changes in the corporate world over the past few months, with new developments happening at a swift pace. Generative AI is advancing quickly, and major companies have announced a pivot to AI, leading to a new crop of startups cashing in on the hype. This fast-paced industry can be daunting for anyone trying to land a job in AI, especially recent graduates or those with limited work experience.
To help recent grads navigate the field of AI, founders and CEOs of fast-growing AI startups have shared their top tips for breaking into the industry. Ian Cairns, CEO and co-founder of Freeplay.ai, recommends building open-source projects to learn and get noticed hiring companies. Working on projects like Meta’s open-source Llama 2 can help aspiring AI professionals understand how to create new products or solutions with generative AI.
Henry Scott-Green, CEO and founder of Context.ai, suggests focusing on projects that deliver real value to end users, rather than just developing technology for its own sake. This emphasis on practical business problems is essential, especially as AI has lowered the barrier to writing code.
It’s also crucial for new graduates to have a multidisciplinary approach that combines technical skills with a strong understanding of ethics and societal impacts, according to Navrina Singh, the founder and CEO of Credo. Singh emphasizes the need for a keen awareness of the ethics of AI to ensure that AI solutions are responsibly benefiting humanity.
Overall, breaking into the field of AI requires hands-on experience, a focus on real-world problems, and a deep understanding of the ethical implications of AI. These combined skills will not only make graduates more marketable but also equip them to make meaningful contributions in the evolving landscape of AI.