Should you learn Ai and Machine Learning?

Stefan Mischook
17 Jan 201706:48

TLDRThe video discusses the potential of AI and machine learning, suggesting it's a lucrative field with significant investment expected. It's recommended for those seeking employment in large corporations, as small businesses may not yet require AI programmers. Freelancing in AI is less common, but opportunities may arise through APIs from companies like IBM's Watson. The field is evolving, and while AI coders are in demand, the speaker compares the current boom to past tech trends, advising caution and strategic learning.

Takeaways

  • 💡 AI and machine learning are fields with significant growth potential, attracting substantial investment.
  • 💌 Job opportunities in AI and machine learning are more prevalent in larger companies rather than small businesses.
  • 👚‍💻 If you're interested in freelancing, AI and machine learning might not be the best fit as the demand is currently low.
  • 🚀 AI advancements like Google Assistant demonstrate the technology's capability to understand context, indicating progress in the field.
  • 📈 The development in AI is incremental, suggesting a long-term demand for AI and machine learning specialists.
  • 🏢 For those aiming to work on big AI projects, larger corporations are the likely employers, as smaller businesses have yet to fully adopt AI.
  • 💰 There's a potential for freelancers to integrate AI into their services by utilizing APIs from companies like IBM's Watson.
  • 🌐 Understanding the basics of AI and machine learning can be beneficial, even for small business projects, through the use of APIs.
  • 📚 The current boom in AI and machine learning is reminiscent of past tech trends, where early adopters often see the most significant financial gains.
  • ⏳ As with any emerging technology, there will be a period of trial and error, with many startups failing but providing job opportunities for developers along the way.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the commentary?

    -The main topic of the commentary is whether one should learn AI and Machine Learning, discussing the potential job opportunities and the current state of the field.

  • What does the speaker think about the future of AI and Machine Learning?

    -The speaker believes that AI and Machine Learning will attract significant investment in the coming years, suggesting that there will be substantial job opportunities in these fields.

  • Why might small businesses not be looking for AI programmers at the moment?

    -According to the speaker, small businesses are not likely to be looking for AI programmers because AI and Machine Learning are still emerging fields and are more likely to be pursued by larger companies with more resources.

  • What programming language is often associated with AI and Machine Learning?

    -Python is the programming language most commonly associated with AI and Machine Learning.

  • What is an example of AI understanding context mentioned in the script?

    -An example given is Google Assistant's ability to understand context in a conversation, such as recognizing that 'hobbled in March' refers to flight prices in March when discussing flights to California.

  • What does the speaker suggest about the incremental progress in AI and Machine Learning?

    -The speaker suggests that the progress in AI and Machine Learning is incremental, with companies like Google investing heavily and achieving significant milestones over many years.

  • What opportunities might there be for freelancers in AI and Machine Learning?

    -Freelancers might have opportunities in AI and Machine Learning by utilizing APIs from larger companies like IBM's Watson, where they can integrate AI services into projects for smaller companies.

  • What comparison does the speaker make between the current AI boom and past technology trends?

    -The speaker compares the current AI boom to past technology trends like the early days of iOS development with Objective C, where there was a significant initial demand for developers followed by a decline as the market became saturated.

  • What advice does the speaker give regarding choosing coding languages and frameworks?

    -The speaker advises that the choice of coding languages and frameworks should be based on the type of work one wants to do, and that one should consider the current trends and potential long-term opportunities.

  • How does the speaker describe the business model of investing in startups?

    -The speaker describes the business model of investing in startups as spreading funds across many companies with the expectation that most will fail, but the few successful ones will yield high returns, creating opportunities for developers to earn money along the way.

Outlines

00:00

💡 The Future of AI and Machine Learning Jobs

The speaker discusses the promising future of AI and machine learning, suggesting that significant investments will be made in these fields over the coming years. They highlight the potential for job opportunities, especially in larger companies, due to the demand for AI and machine learning coding skills, predominantly in Python. However, they also note that small businesses are not currently seeking AI programmers, implying that freelancers might not find many opportunities in this area. The speaker praises the advancements in AI, exemplified by Google Assistant's contextual understanding, and suggests that AI coders will be in demand for the long term. They also touch upon the possibility of using AI-based APIs for smaller businesses, drawing a comparison with the early days of iOS development and the current saturation of the app market. The advice given is to consider the type of work one wants to do when choosing coding languages and frameworks, and to be aware of the 'gold rush' nature of the current AI boom.

05:01

💌 Insights on AI Investment and Job Opportunities

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the financial aspects of the AI and machine learning sector, comparing it to the California Gold Rush. They emphasize that while many startups fail, the real money is often made by those supplying the necessary services and tools to these startups. The speaker suggests that coders can capitalize on the AI boom by offering their services to these companies, even if the end product does not succeed. They discuss the venture capital model, where investors spread funds across multiple startups with the expectation that most will fail, but a few will yield significant returns. The speaker concludes by encouraging developers to consider the long-term earning potential in AI and machine learning, and to be ready to adapt to the evolving opportunities within this emerging sector.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, refers to the development of systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. In the video, AI is discussed as a booming field, with significant investments from large companies like Google and IBM. The speaker emphasizes the growing demand for AI coders, particularly in big businesses.

💡Machine Learning

Machine Learning is a subset of AI that focuses on the ability of machines to learn from data and improve their performance without being explicitly programmed. The video highlights how machine learning is closely tied to AI and is considered a valuable skill for coders, especially those aiming to work for large tech companies.

💡Python

Python is a widely-used programming language, especially in AI and machine learning development. In the video, the speaker mentions that much of AI and machine learning coding is done in Python, making it an essential skill for those pursuing careers in these fields.

💡Big Companies

Big companies like Google, IBM, and other tech giants are at the forefront of AI and machine learning advancements. The video suggests that AI professionals are more likely to find jobs with larger companies, as smaller businesses are not yet heavily invested in these technologies.

💡Freelancer

A freelancer is someone who works independently rather than being employed by a company. The speaker mentions that freelancers may not find many opportunities in AI and machine learning currently, as these fields are dominated by larger companies that require in-house expertise.

💡IBM Watson

IBM Watson is an AI-based system developed by IBM, known for its ability to analyze data and provide insights. In the video, the speaker uses IBM Watson as an example of how smaller businesses might eventually use AI-based APIs in the future to handle certain tasks, even though AI is primarily used by larger companies now.

💡APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

APIs are sets of protocols and tools that allow different software applications to communicate with each other. In the video, the speaker mentions how smaller companies might one day plug into AI services via APIs, allowing them to use advanced AI capabilities without having in-house AI developers.

💡Google Assistant

Google Assistant is an AI-powered virtual assistant developed by Google. The speaker uses it as an example to illustrate the current state of AI, pointing out how it can understand contextual commands like booking flights, demonstrating the incremental progress AI has made over the years.

💡Gold Rush

The term 'Gold Rush' is used metaphorically in the video to describe the current excitement and investment in AI and machine learning. The speaker compares the AI boom to historical gold rushes, where most prospectors didn't find gold, but the suppliers of tools and services made a lot of money. In this analogy, AI coders are likened to the suppliers who profit even if some AI projects fail.

💡App Development

App development involves creating software applications, often for mobile devices. The speaker draws a parallel between the early days of iOS app development, which was highly lucrative, and the current boom in AI. He suggests that while app development for iOS has matured, AI is still in its growth phase, offering significant opportunities for developers.

Highlights

AI and machine learning are interesting fields with significant investment expected in the coming years.

Learning AI and machine learning coding, often in Python, can lead to job opportunities in larger companies.

Small businesses are currently not likely to seek AI programmers.

Freelancing in AI and machine learning may not be as viable due to the nature of the work.

AI and machine learning are becoming increasingly prominent, with companies like Google investing heavily.

Google Assistant's contextual understanding is an example of AI's progress.

AI development is an incremental process, indicating long-term demand for AI coders.

Freelancers might integrate AI-based APIs, like IBM's Watson, into small business projects.

Understanding AI and machine learning can be beneficial even for small gigs through API services.

AI and machine learning are more suited for larger businesses at this time.

The current boom in AI and machine learning is reminiscent of past tech trends.

There is a lot of buzz and opportunity in AI, but many businesses will not be successful.

Developers can profit by offering services during the AI boom, similar to the California Gold Rush.

The most significant money is often made by those supplying services and equipment to the main industry.

Startups and investors often fund multiple companies, expecting most to fail but a few to succeed.

AI and machine learning are part of an emerging sub-sector with a lot of money being invested.

The long-term earning potential for everyone in AI and machine learning will become clearer over time.