By: Ryan
Unless you were in a no-device monastery for the last year, you must know that artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over the world. Tons of companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, OpenAI’s spinoffs and a host of others are racing to build tools and services on this novel technology. Everyone and their grandmother has tried to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT tool to come up with rap lyrics or to try to make the AI do silly things (I know it wasn’t only me). There are now tons of job listings for AI work including one that made the headlines for over $330,000 for “prompt engineering”. If you’re one of the 200,000 US teachers that want to leave the profession every year however, you’re probably trying to figure out how to get in at the ground floor of this new wave of opportunity. We’ll explore some options.
The Robots are winning
AI is transforming industries rapidly, automating tasks and creating new possibilities. As a teacher, your adaptable nature and problem-solving skills position you well in this evolving landscape, however even teaching may be challenged by AI replacement. The key for you is understanding how your teaching skills can seamlessly transition into the AI realm.
What does “Working in AI” mean?
Well AI is a field of research, a field of development, a technology, a base for applications, and a scary concept that few fully understand. So therefore you can work on developing AI models (but you’d need deep expertise), developing AI applications (say in a startup that uses chatGPT as an underlying tech), developing approaches to incorporating AI in other organizations and occupations (like finding ways to adapt to ChatGPT in teaching) and of course in communicating and translating it all for mere humans (marketing or communications for any AI entity). As you may have noticed, the range of skills needed for these areas varies widely. So you don’t necessarily need to an AI expert to “Work in AI”, but you’d need a working knowledge of the rapidly moving technology.
Here are some example job postings ordered by how much preparation a teacher may need:
1. Teacher already has most skills:
- Freelancer Using AI Tool: "You will be responsible for a variety of tasks to help our community, including researching, sharing, and mentoring others to succeed with their side hustles, including how to use AI tools for freelancing and independent work".
- Content Developer for AI Platforms: "Apply your instructional design skills to create engaging content for AI-based educational platforms".
2. Teacher likely needs some training or certification
- AI Prompt Creator: "You'll work closely with Engineering and Product team to understand their questions and needs, and then work on how we can optimize a solution based on prompt creation and engineering methods".
- Principal Generative AI Author: "Work full-time creating content core to our technology library. This position will include valuable opportunities to maintain your ties with the technology industry, through participation in research, conferences, and other engagements, as well as an opportunity to help educate the next generation of AI professionals".
3. Teacher probably needs a new degree or many years experience beforehand:
- Machine Learning Engineer: "The Selected Candidate Will Work closely with other AI/ML Engineers, Data Scientists and Data Engineering Subject Matter Experts on a variety of machine learning applications, create, update, and evaluate new algorithms and performance, and work in a variety of environments, cloud, edge and on-board deployments".
- AI Research Scientist: "Perform research to advance the science and technology of intelligent machines, perform research that enables learning the semantics of data (images, video, text, audio, and other modalities).".
How can a Teacher work in AI?
Teachers possess a unique set of skills that align with various roles in the AI landscape. Communication, adaptability, and the ability to break down complex concepts for students are invaluable in this field. Leveraging these skills, teachers can explore roles such as those listed above. Additionally, furthering education through relevant certifications or training programs can open doors to more specialized (and high paying) AI roles.
Steps to Finding an AI role as a Teacher
Embarking on a career in AI requires strategic steps. Start by identifying your specific strengths and skills as a teacher that can be applied to AI-related roles. Your may have even closer skills if you are teaching a technical subject like math or science since those are the basis for AI technologies. Explore relevant job listings and certifications to gauge the level of preparation needed. Network with professionals in the AI field, attend industry events, and consider informational interviews to gain insights into potential career paths. Finally, invest in continuous learning and upskilling to stay abreast of AI developments and position yourself for success in this dynamic field. A lot can change next year. Embrace the exciting journey of transitioning from teaching to the forefront of AI innovation before the robots take your teaching job.
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