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Other data processing and communication engineers

How to become an AI Engineer

Researches and develops ways to use AI (artificial intelligence) in many different fields.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say a master's degree, university, or a doctorate is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required for this job, and the requirements and standards expected are not yet clear, but most people hold a master's or doctorate in computer science or another field of engineering or science. University graduates come next, and there are a few kosen (college of technology) graduates. When hiring new graduates, employers value university research results, presentations at international conferences and prizes in AI competitions. People are hired by research institutions, manufacturers, IT and telecommunications companies, start-ups and others. They are often hired as AI engineers separately from systems engineers. There are thought to be more than 10,000 machine learning and deep learning experts across Japan (estimated from the number of AI development companies, members of related academic societies and participants in related communities), and there is fierce competition to hire experienced AI engineers mid-career and talented postgraduate and university students as new graduates. Some people switch from nearby fields such as data science. When changing jobs, some become AI engineers at other companies in the same industry, but many move to universities or research institutions. You need to know deep learning and other machine learning methods well, be able to use Python and other major programming languages in this field, and use data analysis techniques and tools well. On top of that, you may need expertise in technologies such as image processing, natural language processing or speech processing, or specialist knowledge of a particular field such as medicine or agriculture. It is a new field and ways of training people are not yet established, but specialist knowledge from university, personal potential and flashes of inspiration often lead to new inventions, and development ability does not necessarily grow with age or years of experience. The field moves fast, so you always need to gather information, and you often read and write research papers.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become an AI Engineer?

No particular education or qualification is required for this job, and the requirements and standards expected are not yet clear, but most people hold a master's or doctorate in computer science or another field of engineering or science. University graduates come next, and there are a few kosen (college of technology) graduates. When hiring new graduates, employers value university research results, presentations at international conferences and prizes in AI competitions. People are hired by research institutions, manufacturers, IT and telecommunications companies, start-ups and others. They are often hired as AI engineers separately from systems engineers. There are thought to be more than 10,000 machine learning and deep learning experts across Japan (estimated from the number of AI development companies, members of related academic societies and participants in related communities), and there is fierce competition to hire experienced AI engineers mid-career and talented postgraduate and university students as new graduates. Some people switch from nearby fields such as data science. When changing jobs, some become AI engineers at other companies in the same industry, but many move to universities or research institutions. You need to know deep learning and other machine learning methods well, be able to use Python and other major programming languages in this field, and use data analysis techniques and tools well. On top of that, you may need expertise in technologies such as image processing, natural language processing or speech processing, or specialist knowledge of a particular field such as medicine or agriculture. It is a new field and ways of training people are not yet established, but specialist knowledge from university, personal potential and flashes of inspiration often lead to new inventions, and development ability does not necessarily grow with age or years of experience. The field moves fast, so you always need to gather information, and you often read and write research papers.

How much does an AI Engineer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥6,097,600 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other data processing and communication engineers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an AI Engineer?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 61% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of an AI Engineer?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026