Artificial intelligence, or AI, is an often misunderstood branch of computer science. In laypeople, it calls to mind visions of androids. Employers and hiring managers in non-technological fields assume AI can do anything and everything. And because this discipline is so new, job titles can be confusing.

Take ‘artificial intelligence specialist,’ which was the #1 job on LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report. Some employers post job opportunities specifically for artificial intelligence specialists, but many more seek AI researchers, AI engineers, and AI analysts. Each of these professionals has the skills and knowledge necessary to make computers perform tasks that generally require a human touch. The most talented among them create technologies that, in many cases, function better than people.

Self-driving cars react more quickly to changing conditions than living drivers. Neural networks can play games like Go and even poker better than human beings. Artificial intelligence systems designed to process speech make fewer errors when transcribing audio. AI already flies planes, builds investment portfolios, decides which of us is most likely to repay loans, and even makes art.

Eventually, artificial intelligence systems may build the more sophisticated technologies that replace them. Until then, demand booms for artificial intelligence specialists driving innovation in various industries.