 An article published by Time.com asserts that the world is becoming more complex and changes accelerating exponentially. Without a doubt, machine learning and artificial intelligence are the two advanced technologies ruling the current marketplace. These branches of technology have the power to transform the way businesses operate and how humans interact to perform complex tasks. However, being an expert in the field of AI requires specific skills. In this video, I will share with you 9 skills that will be the most lucrative as artificial intelligence advances. 1. Analytical Skills Analytical skills are essential because it allows you to evaluate problems both simple and complex, find solutions to the issues and make decisions about what actions to take next. This skill incorporates many skills like attention to detail, critical thinking ability, decision making and research and skills to analyze a question or problem and reach a solution. Analytical skills are required for a lot of AI jobs from real estate agent to data scientist. The ultimate goal of most AI innovation is to create technology that solves our human problems for us. The best artificial intelligence will not just follow a set of predetermined rules but rather it will learn how to solve problems creatively. Understanding problems and analyzing the situation for viable solutions is a critical skill in every position at every level of the transition to AI. Creative problem solving is the next major step for AI and that's why the analytical skill is in such high demand. 2. Mathematical Skills Data scientist and AI instructor Abhishek Paraka once wrote, a person working in the field of AI who doesn't know math is like a politician who doesn't know how to persuade. Both have an inescapable area to work upon. An ideal candidate for the AI domain must be an expert in a broad set of algorithms and applied math. Such candidates should be well versed with superb problem solving and analytical skills which could help them perform the given tasks efficiently. Fred Saragiani, the CTO of a leading digital trust provider, SIFT Science once remarked, we're looking primarily for people who have a principled understanding of the statistics, probabilities and math necessary to grasp the problem. That's the foundation of all this. According to him, this essential foundation allows ML professionals to identify which algorithm best addresses a problem and the way to optimize the outcomes. 3. Lateral Thinking Lateral thinking is also referred to as creativity. According to the Maltese physician, author, inventor and consultant and originator of the term lateral thinking, Edward de Bono, there is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity there would be no progress and we will be forever repeating the same patterns. To excel in the AI domain, programmers need to have a curious and creative mind. This curiosity and creativity helps them discover novel ways to approach specific problems and come up with innovative solutions for cracking them. Besides, lateral thinking allows them to grab abstract information efficiently and be clear with the possibilities to process it well. Furthermore, leaders of the future need to be able to connect dots that haven't been connected before to create new ideas through fresh thinking and innovation. 4. Problem Solving According to computer science, problem solving is a part of artificial intelligence that encompasses several techniques such as algorithms and heuristics to solve a problem. There are two different types of action takers, the reflex based and the goal based. While the reflex action taker directly maps states into actions, the goal based individual on the other hand considers future activities and the desired outcomes. Problem solving is a goal based action taken process. If you do not have problem solving skills, then you cannot survive or revolve in your AI career. First, you must develop a critical problem solving approach. The problem solving method will help you think analytically, which will further assist you in identifying and analyzing complex problems, considering future actions as well as reflecting on your desired results before creating several long lasting solutions. 5. Excellent Command over Unix Tools Unix is an operating system that supports multitasking and multi-user functionality. Although with a graphical user interface, using a Unix-based system is comfortable, but one should still know the Unix commands for the cases where a graphical user interface is not available. As you tread further in your AI career, you will see that a majority of data processing in AI is done on Linux-based systems. Unix is considered the backbone of all internet services and all the various other services such as chat and Netflix. If you are not accustomed to utilizing specific Unix tools, including grep, orc, sort, find, cut, TR, and so on, then you would not be able to grasp the functions of AI in the OS environment. Besides, Unix command prompt tools are much superior to Windows counterparts in terms of flexibility, speed, and versatility. 6. Knowledge of Programming Languages Just as humans have the language they understand, computers also have their particular languages. Computers work with binary numbers and codes called programming languages. How does one become an AI engineer if you cannot understand how to make computers do things for you? To be able to gain a profound understanding of artificial intelligence, you should start your learning journey with the most popular program languages, such as Python, Java, R, or C++. With the help of programming languages, you can create complex algorithms, making computers follow your instructions. For instance, Python makes it easier for AI engineers to develop complex algorithms. C++ speeds up the entire coding process. Necessary expertise in R is needed to be efficient in stats and plots, and aspiring AI professionals require Java to implement mappers and reducers. 7. Technological Adaptability New research amongst leaders from HALT International Business School have identified developing technical knowledge and been better able to adapt to new technologies as a critical factor for their future success. As an AI developer, you must bear in mind that the field of AI is dynamic. Technological adaptability is the ability to learn and comprehend new technology with confidence and without fear. Being fairly adaptable is required to function in our world of changing technology. However, being genuinely flexible in technological environments is a highly priced skill in today's workplace, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. To be an AI developer is undeniably hard, and to be successful in it means to always have the drive for learning. As the old saying has it, time and tide wait for nobody. And nowhere is that more accurate than in AI and the way that new technologies emerge. 8. Ability to Grasp New Concepts Quickly and Stay Updated Aspiring AI professionals must have a passion for keeping themselves updated with the latest developments in the technology industry. Putting efforts to update their skills and become familiar with the advanced development tools, theories, algorithms, and so on will make navigating through the complexities of artificial intelligence less difficult. To stay updated, AI enthusiasts are advised to actively participate in various online forums, blogs, and communities that are specifically developed to cater to AI professionals. Programmers ought to develop the hunger for new knowledge to enable them to read and study for sharpening their AI knowledge. By going through online AI tutorials, conferences, video courses, and so on, your niche expertise in the concerned fields will be enhanced. There are some top-rated papers available online such as Google Bigtable, Google MapReduce, The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Data, and Google File System. 9. Patience and Passion AI and ML are relatively new technologies where the experts are still striving hard to discover new tools and methods for making the community much more efficient. As a result of the gradual development, AI developers and engineers ought to develop a persistent attitude that is beneficial for making them patient enough to cope with several months and countless iterations to achieve accurate results. Being passionate and pumped up with a spirit of never giving up on trying hard to up-level their skills and stay abreast of new developments will put you on the forefront in the AI domain. Furthermore, anyone who desires to last long in the field of artificial intelligence should be open and feel confident enough to make a smooth transition into the AI development domain and explore this highly dynamic and promising field. In the words of Chinese computer science expert Fei Fei Li, if our era is the next industrial revolution as many claimed, AI is surely one of its driving forces.