By Andrew Ng
IF your industry generates a large amount of data, artificial intelligence (AI) can transform that data into value. For companies that have data but lack deep AI knowledge, I recommend hiring a chief AI officer or a vice president of AI.
Here are some traits I suggest looking for when hiring AI officers, based on my experience with AI teams at Google, Stanford and Baidu:
- Good technical understanding of AI and data infrastructure. Your AI chief should have experience building machine learning systems. In the AI era, data infrastructure—how you organize your company’s databases and make sure that all the relevant data is stored securely and accessibly—is also important.
- Ability to work across functions. AI itself isn’t a product or a business. Rather, it’s a foundational technology that can help generate new products or lines of business. Knowing how to work with diverse business units is therefore critical.
- Strong intrapreneurial skills. AI creates opportunities to build new products, from self-driving cars to speakers you can talk to, that just a few years ago were in the realm of science fiction. A leader who can manage intrapreneurial initiatives will increase your odds of innovating in your industry.
- Skill in attracting and retaining AI talent. Such talent is highly coveted. New college graduates who have specialized in AI command higher salaries. A good chief AI officer knows how to retain talent—for example, by emphasizing intriguing projects and offering team members the chance to expand their skill sets.
Andrew Ng is vice president and chief scientist of Baidu.