We understand that planning and navigating a career in AI can be a daunting task, given that it is relatively a new and evolving field. As the national AI portal of India, our focus at INDIAai is to demystify the world of artificial intelligence and encourage as many Indians as possible, young as old, to engage with this revolutionary technology. We reached out to Fractal to talk about the latest trends in the AI job market and the essential skills that can guarantee a successful career in this promising industry.

Founded in the year 2000, Fractal has been a pioneer in India’s AI ecosystem. With a workforce of over 2000 people, Fractal is the largest AI player in the country. The company has raised $325m of capital and works closely with some of the top Fortune 500 companies in the world. 

Ajoy Singh is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Fractal. Here is his take on some of the most crucial questions that young people face as they prepare for a career in AI.

Skills are as important as degrees

Degrees give us the fundamental knowledge about a subject, building a strong foundation to think from first principles. They give us the faculties to understand a complex problem at its most basic level so that we can build robust and lasting solutions. For example, it wouldn’t be enough for a doctor to just know which medicines can treat a heart condition without first understanding how the human heart fundamentally works. 

Skills, on the other hand, show us the latest and greatest way to solve a problem, and this is where a multidisciplinary approach is required. One would need the right skillset to deploy the latest cloud technology to solve a complex ML problem, for instance.

Companies need people with strong fundamentals who can make the efforts to stay relevant by continuously picking up new skills. Ajoy says: “We believe that people will become obsolete in this job market if they don’t learn new skills.”

There is massive scope for non-engineers in the world of AI

AI companies are constantly entrusted with solving complex problems for which they need cross-functional teams consisting data scientists, engineers, domain specialists, design thinkers, behavioural economists, visual storytellers – many of whom don’t come from STEM disciplines.

For instance, there are diverse skills required for managing clients, who are the core of any business, such as relationship management and business development. STEM or non-STEM backgrounds don’t determine your success in this industry, but these three qualities do: curiosity and learning orientation; service orientation and concern for client outcome; and problem solving and structured thinking. Be hungry, humble and smart!

Therefore, there is a great opportunity for non-engineers to not just get into AI roles but rise to the top by developing the right skills. Ajoy says: “There are lots of people from non-STEM backgrounds who have taken on leadership positions in our company and in many companies similar to ours.”

Remote working has contributed to making the industry inclusive

Covid-induced lockdowns have ushered in a paradigm shift in how remote working is perceived in the industry. As work from home becomes a global norm, the negative connotations previously attached to it have vanished. Work from home trends have also enabled us to understand the challenges of managing both home and work.

This, in turn, is allowing companies to freely hire talent, without any limitations of geography, such as from small towns and rural areas. A newly found empathy allows the industry to be more sensitive to traditionally disadvantaged and under-represented groups, such as differently abled people. All dimensions of diversity are being addressed; therefore, this is a great chance to increase the overall diversity in AI.

More and more people are realising that without a cross-functional and diverse team, it is impossible to achieve anything of value, and people are getting used to working in such teams. Ajoy says: “As long as a person is able to work well remotely, she has a good internet connectivity, why not?”

What are the fundamental ingredients for success in AI?

In this fast-changing world, the half-life of knowledge is rapidly decreasing. Therefore, it is extremely important to reinvent yourself very frequently.

Develop a skill profile that resembles the letter ‘T’: get a solid grip in certain areas to build domain knowledge and the ability to apply this knowledge across different verticals and disciplines. Take advantage of the many resources that are easily available these days: industry conferences, online education, classroom courses etc.

Upskilling is equally relevant for mid-career professionals – make the time for it! Do it after office hours or on weekends. Take a sabbatical, if required. But if you don’t learn new things, you will soon find yourself out of the race. Ajoy says: “One has to stay relevant.”

Advice for young students eyeing a career in AI

Here are the top three pieces of advice that Ajoy would give to his 20-year old self. You’d do well to pick it up early in your career.

• Get your fundamentals strong in whatever area you work ­– and you’ll be a much sought after person throughout your career. 
• Learn to unlearn the old ways and embrace the new ways – this is the only way to stay relevant.
• Be people smart – you will have to work in teams, whether you like it or not. Understand that diversity brings out the best in any team, and for a diverse team to succeed every team member must have empathy.

Image from Pixabay