Recent reports indicate that Meta is paying its AI researchers up to $2 million, with OpenAI digging even deeper, offering salaries in the $5 million to $10 million range.
The race for dominance in artificial intelligence is being impacted by an extreme talent crunch, which helps to explain inflated salaries. As a result, some tech behemoths are adopting unusual tactics, and this is now a hyper-competitive environment where companies such as Meta, OpenAI and Google’s DeepMind compete for top talent.
One source reports that Mark Zuckerberg has personally contacted top-tier AI candidates at DeepMind, in order to poach them for his company, and further reflecting this super-tight hiring environment, Meta is also looking at bypassing traditional interviews and extending job offers directly to promising candidates.
It is now clear that despite layoffs across the global tech industry, those with the right AI skill sets are in huge demand for the best jobs––as well as really attractive salary and benefits packages.
Data from job search site Indeed confirms that while all job postings declined 12.3% year-over-year, AI-related jobs are bucking the trend: in the six months to March of this year, there was a 15.7% increase in the number of AI-related job opportunities.
For those who are either looking to boost their skills in the right area, or who want to make a move to a role with more opportunities, there is one clear winner: upskill in Generative AI.
“Half of the highest-paid skills in tech are AI-specific, which suggests that job seekers with AI skills can stand out in a competitive job market, and potentially earn more than their counterparts,” says Indeed in its recent Workforce Insights Report.
According to the hiring platform’s data, having Gen AI skills gives you an earning potential of 47% more than before.
Right now, though, only about 14% of tech workers consider themselves to have ‘“advanced” fluency in AI, according to a study from Amazon Web Services.
The solution could lie in an ever-increasing range of AI-upskilling courses. For example, Google’s AI Essentials is a self-paced course taught by the company’s experts, and no experience is required.
Microsoft also offers an AI course called Azure AI Fundamentals which starts with the basics and moves through neural networks and deep learning. Adding Python to your repertoire can boost your earning potential too, and Harvard offers a seven-week Introduction to AI with Python course, where you’ll learn to use machine learning.
Or, you can explore the emerging world of prompt engineering with this course from OpenAI in collaboration with DeepLearning. ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers will teach you to use API access to leverage LLMs into your own applications, plus you’ll build a custom chatbot.
If you’re ready to go ahead and look for a new role now, then the Silicon Canals Job Board is a great place to begin. It contains thousands of open tech jobs, like the three AI opportunities below.
PHP Developer | AI Assistant, Haystack People, Rotterdam
Haystack People is seeking a PHP Developer/AI Assistant for Livvwork, a smart business assistant platform that helps employees maintain a good work-life balance while staying engaged with their colleagues.
If you are an enterprising PHP developer with a passion for building great products from scratch, and have an entrepreneurial spirit, enjoy building things and have a strong desire to make a significant impact in an early-stage startup environment, this role could be a good first.
You will need proficiency in PHP (and ideally Laravel), along with an interest in DDD (Domain Driven Design), Event Sourcing and AI (GPT) technologies. See all the details.
Product Owner Gen AI Analytics (m/w/d), Rewe Group, Köln
As Product Owner Analytics at Rewe, one of Germany’s leading food retail companies, you will manage analytical Gen AI use cases from idea to proof of concept (POC) and, if necessary, manage product launches in close coordination with relevant stakeholders.
You’ll also work with UX experts to formulate an initial product vision of how Rewe can integrate Gen AI into its various business areas in the most profitable way possible.
You’ll need previous experience working with data and have a knowledge of relevant tools/programming languages (e.g. SQL, Python, R, Adobe). In addition, you should have theoretical and practical experience with agile development methods. Find out more.
Web Specialist, Provincie Flevoland, Lelystad
To apply for this Web Specialist role, you should be curious about and engaged with the latest trends in technology, the web and AI.
You’ll be the link between technology and communication, will have good knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, experience with content management systems, configuring and managing websites, and can help your colleagues with search engine optimization (SEO), providing advice on how to improve the user experience.
Interested? Apply for this role today.
Want a new software job? Find it on the Silicon Canals Job Board now
01
Meet the 10 promising startups selected for Glovo Startup Lab