The rapid pace of technological advancement is reshaping the job market, creating a surge in demand for specialized skills and opening up new career opportunities. To stay ahead in this evolving landscape, it’s crucial to understand the emerging tech fields that are set to dominate the future of work.
Accordning to a LinkedIn study here are five exciting areas poised for growth, along with the skills needed to excel in them.
Edge AI: Intelligence at the frontier
Edge AI involves deploying artificial intelligence algorithms directly on devices like smartphones, IoT gadgets, and autonomous systems, allowing data to be processed locally. This reduces latency and conserves bandwidth, making it ideal for real-time applications.
The global Edge AI market is expected to reach $38.9 billion by 2028. Roles such as Edge AI Engineer, IoT Architect, and Embedded Systems Developer are on the rise. To prepare for these roles, focus on mastering TensorFlow Lite, PyTorch Mobile, Embedded C/C++, and CUDA. These tools and programming languages are essential for developing efficient AI models on edge devices.
Privacy-enhancing technologies: Securing the data-driven world
Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are designed to keep data confidential and secure, even while being processed. As data privacy regulations become stricter, PETs are becoming essential in maintaining privacy.
The privacy tech market is projected to reach $88 billion by 2025, and by 2023, 65% of the world’s population will have their personal data covered under privacy regulations.
Job titles like Data Scientist, Privacy Engineer, Cryptography Specialist, and Data Protection Officer are becoming more common. To enter this field, gain proficiency in encryption, federated learning, and differential privacy techniques.
Explainable AI: Transparency in artificial intelligence
Explainable AI (XAI) aims to make AI decision-making processes transparent and understandable. This is increasingly important for building trust and meeting regulatory requirements.
With 68% of companies citing explainability as a major concern in AI adoption, the XAI market is projected to reach $21 billion by 2030.
Roles such as XAI Developer, and AI Auditor are gaining traction. To thrive in XAI, focus on learning tools like SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) and LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations), which are used to interpret complex AI models.
Sustainable IT: Green computing for a sustainable future
Sustainable IT focuses on reducing the environmental footprint of technology through energy-efficient practices and sustainable resource management. The green technology market is expected to reach $417.35 billion by 2030, with 75% of enterprises projected to include sustainability metrics in their IT solutions.
New career paths such as Sustainable IT Architect, Green Data Center Manager, and Circular Economy Specialist are emerging. Aspiring professionals should explore energy-efficient algorithms, green cloud computing, and e-waste management systems to build expertise in this field.
Bioinformatics
This field applies computational methods to analyze and interpret biological data, driving advancements in genomics, proteomics, and more.
The bioinformatics market is projected to reach $24.73 billion by 2028 globaly, and job postings in this field increased by 60% from 2020 to 2021. Key roles include Bioinformatics Analyst, Computational Biologist, and Genomic Data Scientist.
To excel in bioinformatics, proficiency in Python, R, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis, and machine learning in genomics is essential.