Artificial intelligence (AI) specialists are increasingly optimistic about their job prospects, with nearly three-quarters planning to switch employers within the next year, according to a Dice report.
The findings reveal that 58% of AI professionals are confident they can secure favorable new roles in 2024, a sharp contrast to the 36% of other IT professionals who feel the same.
The report also highlights a growing trend in work-life balance improvement, with 41% of AI experts reporting better conditions than last year, compared to just 26% of general tech professionals.
While demand for AI talent continues to rise, with 82% of HR professionals expecting it to increase in the next six months, recruiters face challenges in filling these roles due to the competitive nature of the market and a knowledge gap.
A little under half (46%) of HR teams surveyed said they are actively seeking AI professionals to meet growing industry needs.
Narayana Pappu, CEO at Zendata, said he expects there will be many job opportunities, mainly around enterprise AI adoption, in three broad categories.
“These include getting data ready for AI, ensuring that there are proper controls on AI and integrating AI into existing workflows to achieve increased efficiencies and automation,” he said.
Among the factors contributing to the higher job satisfaction and work-life balance among AI professionals compared to other tech fields, Pappu said he thinks the three most significant are the impact of work, visibility to the C-suite (and recognition), and being a leader in innovation and on the cutting edge of technology.
“Beyond competitive salaries and benefits, organizations can retain their AI talent and prevent attrition in this competitive market by providing them with the opportunity to have an impact, providing greater engagement and demonstrating recognition of their work,” he explained.
Derek Ashmore, application transformation principal at Asperitas, noted many companies anticipate a moderate increase in AI adoption over the next 1-2 years, followed by a significant rise in years 3-5.
“In response to this growing demand, the need for AI professionals will continue to grow for the foreseeable future,” he said.
He explained most LLM-based AI development work is concentrated within product companies due to the high demand for AI-enabled software solutions.
“Currently, corporations are focused on consuming AI via SaaS-based solutions such as Microsoft’s Copilot, Salesforce’s Einstein, and Oracle application-embedded AI,” Ashmore said.
Additionally, the demand for other types of AI, such as machine learning, will continue growing across corporate and product companies.
Stephen Kowski, field CTO at SlashNext Email Security+, said he thinks the demand for AI professionals is set to skyrocket in the coming years as businesses across all sectors recognize the transformative power of AI.
“We’re seeing a surge in AI adoption for tasks like threat detection, data analysis, and process automation,” he said. “As AI becomes more sophisticated and integrated into daily operations, companies will be competing fiercely for top talent to stay ahead of the curve.”
Kowski said to attract top AI talent, companies should focus on creating a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
“Offer challenging projects that allow AI professionals to push the boundaries of what’s possible like developing advanced algorithms for real-time threat detection in our industry is one possibility,” he said.
Organizations should also provide opportunities for professional growth, such as attending conferences or pursuing certifications, and consider flexible work arrangements to accommodate different work styles and preferences.
Kowski said retaining AI talent requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond just competitive salaries.
“Invest in state-of-the-art tools and technologies that enable AI professionals to do their best work, like advanced machine learning platforms for developing sophisticated models,” he said.
Organizations must also foster a collaborative environment where AI experts can work alongside other disciplines to solve complex problems.
“The high demand for their skills gives AI professionals more leverage to negotiate better work-life balance and benefits packages,” he added.
