Dive Brief:
- Academia is losing out on the war for artificial intelligence talent, Lauren Dixon writes for Talent Economy. More than half of all new computer science doctorate grads in the U.S. take industry jobs in the private sector rather than pursue careers in education, according to a recent National Science Foundation study.
- Peter Morgan, an AI expert at Ivy Data Science in NYC, told Dixon there could be a lack of graduates who possess thorough education in AI, which works against both present and future talent shortages. However, companies like Apple, Google and others are luring AI graduates away with six-figure salaries and perks that the education field cannot offer.
- On the other side, Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor told Dixon said the depth of understanding that AI grads have benefits companies because it leads to further research and innovation. He adds that most AI academics remain involved in both publishing in industry journals and participating in conferences that help future students.
Dive Insight:
As AI and machine learning mix increasingly with other industries, there's obvious concern about whether smaller firms will be able to compete when the best talent is being poached by large corporations.
Who will be left to teach the next generation of talent if professors leave their posts for six-figure jobs with better perks? There is a shift coming for many organizations in that they must provide active support for experts in AI and other new technologies so that employees can continue their research and participation in the community.
Knowledge transfer in a corporate environment can take the place of some college studies. This means that professors and researchers won't be the only ones who will have the ability to transfer AI and machine learning knowledge to future generations of students.
