How to Become an AI Engineer - A Step by Step Guide, Check Salary & Job Role

How to Become AI Engineer: To become an AI Engineer in India, you need to complete your formal education in a Bachelor of Technology. You should also be aware and have a good knowledge of the latest technologies and programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, and R. 

Artificial Intelligence is a popular and in-trend technology and offers a dynamic opportunity for young professionals to make an illustrious career. The minimum requirement to become an Artificial Intelligence engineer in India is an undergraduate degree; you can also opt for Master's programs to secure well-paying jobs. In this article, we will uncover how to become AI Engineer in India and let you know everything about the same including the eligibility criteria, courses available, and how to apply for AI Engineer jobs.

Who is AI Engineer?

AI or Artificial Intelligence Engineers are professionals who use technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Computer Science to develop applications and provide software solutions. AI Engineers are some of the most in-demand software engineering profiles currently, with professionals earning lucrative salaries and working on some of the most complicated projects. 

How to Become an AI Engineer in India? 

To become a successful Artificial Intelligence Engineer in India, you should have certain educational qualifications. The minimum requirement for how to become AI Engineer is to have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field. Let’s have a look at the step-by-step process of how to become AI Engineer in India: 

• First, you should complete your formal school education, i.e. 12th standard exams with Mathematics as a compulsory subject during your 10+2 education.

• After completing your 10+2, you can choose your higher education; you can start with a 3-year Polytechnic course in Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence. After completing your diploma course, you can join a B.Tech course as a Lateral Entry student. 

• You can also directly start your graduation by pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence. 

• After completing graduation, you can start looking for AI Engineering jobs; however, to improve your chances of landing a job, you can further pursue a 2-year Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence. 

• You can also participate in various engineering examinations, such as the GATE exam, to join PSUs.

• You should try to get in-hand experience by joining various training and internship programs to get industry exposure. Furthermore, you should also keep pursuing AI development programs, contests, and certifications to improve your professional skills and profile.

• You should join various online skill development programs and keep a touch with the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence and technology. 

• You should create a comprehensive portfolio of projects, skills, and certifications to present to recruiters. 

• Once all set, you should apply for AI Engineer jobs in various industries such as IT, healthcare, finance, and e-commerce. 

Eligibility Criteria to Become AI Engineer

Artificial Intelligence technology offers great career opportunities in the field of machine learning and data sciences. However, if you are interested in making a successful career as an Artificial Engineer in India, you should know the eligibility criteria to become one:

• First, you should have completed your 12th standard education from a recognized school education board with Mathematics as a compulsory subject.

• You should have a Diploma in Computer Science & Engineering or Artificial Intelligence.

• You should have a B.Tech degree in Computer Science & Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or an equivalent stream.

• You should have an in-depth knowledge of programming languages such as Python, C++, React, etc. 

• You should have appeared/cleared the GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence exam. 

Is there an Age Limit to Becoming AI Engineer?

No, there is no age limit to become AI Engineer in India. However, it is advised to start your professional career immediately after graduation to get better career opportunities for yourself. 

Skill Required to Become an AI Engineer

If you are planning to head start a career in AI Engineering, you are required to have some essential technical and interpersonal skills. Let’s have a detailed look at some of the skills required to become an AI Engineer in India:

• The fundamental requirement to become an AI Engineer is to have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of programming languages such as Python, C++, R, and Java. 

• As an AI Engineer you will be working with a large number of data. To effectively streamline these data and develop software, you will also be required to have a good knowledge of various contemporary Big Data technologies such as Hadoop, Cassandra, MongoDB, and Spark.

• A comprehensive knowledge of Deep Learning algorithms and frameworks is also required to become an AI Engineer, this will help you build AI models with machine learning technologies.

• Along with the knowledge of Computer Science & Engineering concepts, you should also have a good understanding of Mathematical concepts such as linear Algebra, Statistics, and Probability to effectively implement the codes and build AI and machine learning models.

• You should have a keen interest in Computer Science and AI and should have a good knowledge of recent developments in the industry and innovative approaches to developing new software solutions.

• Besides having a strong technical skillset, you should also possess a good personality to make a good impression during the interview.

• You should have a good communication skill, which will help you in your professional life as you will mostly have to work in big teams.

• AI developers often have to resolve complicated technical issues such as bugs and code refactoring issues, you should have good problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities to handle such situations. 

• Good business intelligence is a bonus skill to have as an AI Engineer, this skill will allow you to pitch your technical ideas to potential successful business ventures. 

How to Apply to Become an AI Engineer?

For a graduate student, there are various ways to apply to become an AI Engineer. Once you complete your B.Tech or a Master’s degree in Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence, you can either apply directly for jobs or appear in the GATE exam to get a job in PSUs in India. Let’s have a closer look at how to apply to become AI Engineer:

• GATE: Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an annual examination conducted by IIT. The exam allows B.Tech and other graduates to get admission to some of the leading institutes in various Master’s programs. Many PSUs also offer job opportunities to qualified students based on their ranks.

• Participate in Placement Drives: If you are pursuing your B.Tech degree and are a student in your final year, you should participate in various campus placement drives. Many big companies prefer to recruit freshers from college placements. 

How to Prepare for AI Engineer Exam?

If you are planning to prepare for an AI Engineer exam such as the GATE, JEE Main or JEE Advanced exams, you need to make a comprehensive plan to have a well-rounded preparation strategy. Since selection through entrance exams is subject to various factors such as the availability of seats and requirements of professionals for a particular post, you should prepare for the exams diligently. 

You should keep the following points in mind to prepare for an AI Engineering exam and get placed for a reputed PSU in the country.

• Check the official website and learn the complete exam schedule and pattern.

• Secondly, download the complete official syllabus for the exam and plan your studies accordingly. 

• Collect all the important books and study resources that will help you during the exam preparations.

• Download the previous years’ question papers of the exam and try to solve them to understand the exam level.

• Join a coaching or class to help you prepare for the exam. 

• Participate in various mock tests and assess your exam preparations. 

• Do timely revisions of basic concepts and syllabus to ensure you are not missing any important topics from the syllabus. 

Also Check - 10 Best Government Jobs After B.Tech in India

How to Prepare for an AI Engineer Personal Interview?

Once you clear the entrance exam to become AI Engineer, you will be called in for a personal interview. This interview is done to assess your interpersonal skills along with your technical knowledge of the subject. Clearing an interview can be a challenging part of becoming an AI Engineer as the discussion sometimes may go on for hours. If you too are preparing for an upcoming AI Engineering interview, you should keep the following points in mind.

• Have all your documents such as educational certificates, exam scorecards, internship certificates, resumes, portfolios, and other such documents properly in a folder.

• Prepare basic concepts and fundamentals, and practice the most asked questions in the interview.

• Practice mock interviews and take classes to improve your communication skills. 

• For the day of the interview, wear formal attire.

• Avoid wearing heavy jewelry and other accessories.

• Be confident and maintain eye contact while answering the interviewer.

• Be polite and use professional language with the interview panel.

• Ensure that you reach for the interview on time and are well-prepared for it. 

Last/Final Step to Becoming an AI Engineer

Once you have cleared your AI Engineer exam and interview, the final step to becoming an AI Engineer is to submit all your professional and personal documents to the organization. Your organization will then verify your documents. You will be required to report to your job location on a specified date and time by your employer. 

Application & Examination Dates for AI Engineer Exam

The following are dates and information about the application & examination for AI Engineer exams: 

Courses to Become an AI Engineer

To become an AI Engineer you can opt for several courses ranging from certification level to Master’s degree. Several courses are offered by top universities in India for young professionals to pursue exciting careers in Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences. Let’s have a detailed look at some of these courses: 

• Diploma in Artificial Intelligence: Various polytechnic colleges in the country offer Diplomas in Artificial Intelligence. This course is designed to offer students an in-depth knowledge of AI and machine learning concepts and fundamentals. Along with AIML, students also get an opportunity to gain a good understanding of programming languages, data structures, algorithms, and more such topics.

• Bachelor’s of Technology in Artificial Intelligence: Many engineering colleges in India have started full-fledged B.Tech in Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and data science. These courses offer a comprehensive university-level education around AI development and Machine Learning concepts. The course aims to provide students with a well-versed knowledge of streamlining AI systems and building applications using these technologies. Colleges such as IITs and NITs are offering B.tech in Artificial Intelligence. 

• Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence: After completing your bachelor's, you can opt to pursue a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and earn a Master’s in AI. A master’s degree can help you land a high-paying job in some of the leading IT companies. 

• Certification Courses in Artificial Intelligence: There are various online and offline courses available that offer you a certificate in Artificial Intelligence. Although a certificate may not be enough to secure an AI Engineer job, it can help you increase your knowledge and improve your chances of getting a good job in the field.  

Also Check - Career Options After B.Tech

List of Colleges Which Provide Courses to Become AI Engineer

Several colleges in India offer courses in Artificial Intelligence. If you are interested in pursuing a career as an AI Engineer in India, you should carefully choose while selecting your college. You should consider factors such as faculty, location, intake capacity, placement records, and general reputation before joining a college to pursue a course in AI technology. Let’s have a closer look at some of the top colleges in India offering courses to become AI Engineer and their fee structure: 

Job Roles as AI Engineer

As an AI Engineer or an AI developer, you will be responsible for developing, testing, and deploying machine learning models through programming algorithms. You will also be responsible for building AI software and application program interfaces. The following are some of the key responsibilities of an AI Engineer: 

• You are responsible for converting ML models into application program interfaces (APIs).

• As an AI Engineer, you will be responsible for building AI applications and software from scratch for the different requirements and components of your organization.

• You are also responsible for building solutions for data transformation and data ingestion.

• You will also be responsible for automating the process and infrastructure to support the data science team. 

• You will also be responsible for understanding the statistical reports and framing plans to improve the existing software programs.

• As an AI Engineer, you will also manage the development and product infrastructure.

Also Check - Highest Paid Jobs in IT Sector in India 

Pay Scale for AI Engineer

AI Engineers are some of the most sought-after engineering professionals, and therefore, they generally have a good salary. The pay scale, however, depends on various factors such as the years of experience and technical skills. Let’s have a look at the pay scale for different AI Engineers: