![Data Scientist vs AI Engineer: Career Guide for 2024](http://media.assettype.com/analyticsinsight%2Fimport%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F01%2FData-Scientist-vs-AI-Engineer-Career-Guide-for-2024.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Data science and AI engineering are two of the most sought-after and lucrative careers in the tech industry. Both fields involve working with data and artificial intelligence, but they have different goals, skills, and responsibilities. In this article, we will compare and contrast data scientists and AI engineers based on their roles, responsibilities, skills, salaries, and prospects.
Data science is the process of drawing insightful and valuable conclusions from vast and diverse data collections. Data scientists use a wide range of tools and techniques to analyse data and deliver their results to stakeholders, including programming, statistics, mathematics, machine learning, cloud computing, and data visualisation.
AI engineering is the study of developing, assessing, testing, and deploying intelligent systems capable of performing tasks without the need for human intervention. The AI Engineer uses machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and other subfields of AI to design solutions that were previously thought to be unattainable.
Data scientists and AI engineers play distinct but complementary responsibilities throughout the data lifecycle. Data engineers lay the groundwork and structure for data, whereas data scientists utilise it to uncover insights and solutions.
Data scientists must have a solid foundation in mathematics, statistics, and machine learning, as well as coding and data visualisation abilities. AI engineers must have a strong background in computer science, software engineering, and database administration, as well as expertise in a variety of AI technologies and platforms.
Data scientists and AI engineers are among the highest-paid and most in-demand professionals in the tech industry. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a data scientist is US$113,309, while the average salary for an AI engineer is US$114,121.
To become a data scientist or an AI engineer, you need to have a strong foundation in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and AI, as well as practical skills in programming, data analysis, and AI development. You can acquire these skills through formal education, such as a bachelor's or master's degree in data science, computer science, AI, or a related field, or through online courses, boot camps, certifications, and self-study. You can find data science or AI projects on platforms like Kaggle, GitHub, or Coursera, or by participating in competitions, hackathons, or internships.
Data science and AI engineering are two exciting and rewarding careers that offer ample opportunities for learning and growth.
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