What Makes a Great AI Developer? Here's What to Look For

AI Developers

As businesses increasingly recognize the potential of AI to drive growth, the demand for AI professionals continues to rise.

When seeking to hire AI developers, companies need to understand the key skills and qualifications that are essential for AI development roles. Knowing what to look for in candidates can significantly impact the success of your AI-driven initiatives.

So, how do you hire artificial intelligence developers? In this guest post, we’ll explore the core competencies that AI developers should possess to build cutting-edge AI solutions.

Before You Hire AI Developers: Key AI Roles to Know

The AI job market offers a variety of AI roles and AI developers for hire. Here are some of the most prominent positions:

AI researchers

AI researchers focus on exploring the potential of artificial intelligence. They experiment with novel approaches and develop algorithms to enhance AI systems’ capabilities. AI researchers need advanced knowledge in mathematics, statistics, data engineering, and big data analysis.

AI architects

Also known as AI engineers, AI architects are responsible for designing and implementing AI infrastructures within a company. They act as a link between data scientists, engineers, developers, and operations teams and take ownership of the AI architecture strategy.

Machine-learning engineers

Machine-learning engineers develop, train, and deploy machine-learning models that power AI software solutions. If you’re looking to hire AI/ML developers, focus on candidates who are well familiar with key ML frameworks and libraries, such as TensorFlow or PyTorch, and Scikit-learn.

Data scientists

Data scientists’ job is to analyze and interpret large datasets in order to derive insights for informed business decisions. They should possess strong analytical skills and have expertise in big data processing tools like Hadoop or Apache Spark. Their role is crucial for translating data into actionable business intelligence.

These roles represent the backbone of any AI-driven initiative. Let’s discuss their responsibilities and skillsets in more detail now.

Skills and Qualifications AI Developers Should Have

AI development services are a specialized field within the broader software development domain. When you hire AI engineers, it’s essential to ensure their skillset includes all the relevant qualifications and experience to successfully implement AI projects.

Here is a breakdown of the technology stack and core competencies that AI developers should be proficient in:

1. Programming Languages

AI developers should be experts in at least one of the following programming languages, which are commonly used in AI development: Python, R, Java, JavaScript, or C++.

2. Database Knowledge

AI developers need a solid understanding of both SQL and NoSQL databases as well as their differences and advantages. Familiarity with popular databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB is essential.

3. Machine-Learning Frameworks and Libraries

AI developers should be proficient in machine-learning frameworks and libraries. These include NumPy, SciPy, Theano, Pandas, Keras, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit-learn, among others.

4. Big Data Processing

Given the vast amounts of data AI projects often require, AI developers must be proficient in big data processing tools like Apache Spark or Hadoop.

5. Cloud Computing

AI developers should have extensive experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. These have a crucial role in AI development and integrating AI solutions as they facilitate managing large datasets.

6. Advanced AI Technologies

AI developers should be familiar with advanced AI technologies, an example of which is generative AI. They should have hands-on experience working with large language models such as GPT, Llama, Claude, Mistral, etc. and be skilled in prompt engineering.

7. Data Handling and Model Training

Top-level AI engineers should have a deep understanding of data preprocessing and preparation for training AI models. They need to know how to improve the quality of training data, as well as how to train, fine-tune, and optimize AI models.

These skills and qualifications are fundamental for AI developers to contribute effectively to AI projects.

Additional Considerations When Hiring AI Developers

In addition to proficiency in the specific tools and frameworks we've discussed, AI developers should possess a range of broader skills.

First and foremost, they need to have solid knowledge of computer science. It's advisable to hire an AI developer with at least a bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field.

Your AI developers should also have in-depth knowledge of software architecture, predictive analytics, and data science, as well as be well familiar with the latest software security practices.

Ideally, you should look to hire an artificial intelligence developer who is well-versed in the Agile methodology. Given the complexity of AI projects, adopting the Agile approach for implementing solutions of this kind will make it easier to manage evolving requirements.

Finally, AI developers should possess great soft skills. Effective communication and strong teamwork abilities are essential when collaborating on complex AI projects. If you hire remote AI developers, seamless communication is especially important for smooth project implementation. Therefore, it’s crucial to work with candidates who are responsive and adaptable.

Hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers with Confidence: a Checklist

Before you hire developers to build your next great AI solution, refer to this checklist of core skills and competencies that AI developers should possess, compiled by a professional AI development company DevTeam.Space:

  1. Proficiency in relevant programming languages
  2. Expertise in SQL and NoSQL databases
  3. Experience with ML frameworks and libraries
  4. Familiarity with big data processing tools
  5. Knowledge of major cloud service providers
  6. Expertise in generative AI technologies
  7. Ability to prepare training datasets and train/fine-tune AI models
  8. Strong foundation in computer science principles
  9. Familiarity with modern software security techniques
  10. Understanding of Agile methodology
  11. Strong soft skills, including communication and teamwork

Conclusion

The rapid adoption of AI across nearly every sector has created a dynamic market for artificial intelligence developers. Building a successful AI product requires technical expertise and relevant experience. To hire AI developers the right way, it’s essential to understand the core skill sets and qualifications that professionals in this field should possess.