Leslie Bowman If you’re exploring AI career paths, you’re in the right place.
Demand for AI and machine learning career paths is exploding, with roles like AI Architect, AI Product Manager, and AI Developer offering high salaries and rapid growth.
This guide breaks down the best routes for tech professionals looking to pivot into AI. Let’s get started.
What does an AI career entail?
AI professionals help computers solve problems and make decisions using data.
They build, manage, and optimize tools and systems that can learn from data, make predictions, and improve over time. Some professionals focus on ensuring AI meets business goals, while others handle the technical side—like programming, development, and system maintenance.
More strategic positions, like AI Architects or AI Product Managers, also focus on designing system architecture or aligning AI projects with business goals.
Think of it like being part of a team building a smart robot: some design its brain (AI Architect), others teach it new skills (AI Developer), some guide its purpose and tasks (AI Product Manager), and others keep it running smoothly behind the scenes (AI Engineer).
Making the move to an AI career path
IT professionals already have strong foundational skills—like problem-solving, system management, and data handling—that are essential for AI roles. You can develop specialized AI knowledge and practical experience to make the switch successful.
Here are key areas to focus on when transitioning from IT to an AI career path:
- Technical skills: Python, ML frameworks (TensorFlow/PyTorch), data pipelines, cloud ML infrastructure.
- Certifications and training: e.g., Google Professional ML Engineer, AWS Certified ML Engineer.
- Hands-on projects: Build pipelines that train, deploy, monitor, and retrain models.
- Cross-discipline experience: MLOps, feature engineering, model validation, and cloud integrations.
Top AI career paths
1. AI architect career path
AI Architects design end-to-end AI systems—connecting data, ML models, infrastructure, and stakeholders. They typically begin with strong backgrounds in software or data engineering, followed by experience in AI model deployment and system design.
2. AI product manager career path
AI Product Managers shape product vision through the lens of AI technologies, combining data strategy, user experience, and ML capability awareness. Their role blends technical and strategic skills to guide AI-driven product rollouts.
3. AI developer career path
These professionals build and integrate ML models into applications—similar to Machine Learning Engineers. They conduct data processing, model training, and deployment via APIs and serve AI features in real-world apps.
4. AI engineering in IT path
Focused on ML pipelines and production-ready systems, this path includes roles like ML/Platform Engineer and AI Systems Architect—helping scale and maintain AI infrastructure.
Why location still matters: IT and AI hubs overlap
Liquid Web’s 2025 study on top tech cities shows a strategic overlap between IT job hubs and AI opportunity, offering a clear career pathway to AI for professionals currently in IT roles.
Washington, D.C., Baltimore, San Francisco, and San Jose dominate top IT job rankings—and are emerging as AI hotspots too. These cities have historically been strongholds for tech innovation, and now they are rapidly integrating AI into their workforce ecosystems.
But, there are some other U.S. cities making waves in the AI space.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta ranks as a top-3 city for tech roles and is rapidly expanding its AI ecosystem. According to Liquid Web’s 2025 study on top tech cities, Atlanta has secured its position among the leading metropolitan areas for technology employment.
Its growth in AI-related jobs is fueled by a thriving startup scene, corporate investments, and an increasing number of AI-focused initiatives. Affordable living costs and strong educational institutions contribute to attracting talent, making Atlanta a major hub for professionals looking to transition into an AI career path.
Raleigh-Durham and Seattle
Raleigh–Durham and Seattle respectively rank #13 and #5 for top tech jobs and are among the top 10 metropolitan areas for AI job concentration.
In Raleigh–Durham, the Research Triangle Park fosters collaboration between academia and industry, with a strong focus on innovation in AI applications.
Seattle, home to tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, offers a robust ecosystem with abundant AI job openings, supported by a mature tech infrastructure and an engaged community of AI professionals.
Pittsburgh, PA
While it was #39 on Liquid Web’s top tech cities list, Pittsburgh’s “AI Strike Team” drives AI innovation, workforce development, and the commercialization of AI technologies. This initiative highlights Pittsburgh’s commitment to becoming a national leader in AI development and adoption.
Known for its historic manufacturing base, Pittsburgh has undergone a transformation fueled by AI research institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and local government support.
How will you pivot?
The demand for AI talent is growing rapidly, creating exciting opportunities for IT professionals ready to pivot into AI roles.
- AI Engineer roles are projected to grow by 26% between 2023 and 2033, significantly above average for tech occupations.
- Entry-level AI jobs surged by 38% between 2020 and 2024, highlighting increased accessibility for professionals without PhDs.
- ML Engineers and Data Scientists rank among the highest-demand tech roles on job platforms like Indeed.
Whether you want to become an AI Architect, Product Manager, Developer, or Engineer, our IT → AI Career Roadmap gives you the tools and insights to confidently make the transition.
Start your journey into the high-growth AI field—confidently and prepared. Access the roadmap now.