How do I start a career as a deep learning engineer? What are some of the key tools and frameworks used in AI? How do I learn more about ethics in AI?
Everyone has questions, but the most common questions in AI always return to this: how do I get involved?
Cutting through the hype to share fundamental principles for building a career in AI, a group of AI professionals gathered at NVIDIA's GTC conference in the spring offered what may be the best place to start.
Each panelist, in a conversation with NVIDIA's Louis Stewart, head of strategic initiatives for the developer ecosystem, came to the industry from very different places.
Watch the session on demand.
But the speakers - Katie Kallot, NVIDIA's former head of global developer relations and emerging areas; David Ajoku, founder of startup aware.ai; Sheila Beladinejad, CEO of Canada Tech; and Teemu Roos, professor at the University of Helsinki - returned again and again to four basic principles.
1) Start With Networking and Mentorship The best way to start, Ajoku explained, is to find people who are where you want to be in five years.
And don't just look for them online - on Twitter and LinkedIn. Look for opportunities to connect with others in your community and at professional events who are going where you want to be.
You want to find people you admire, find people who walk the path you want to be on over the next five years, Ajoku said. It doesn't just come to you; you have to go get it.
At the same time, be generous about sharing what you know with others. You want to find people who will teach, and in teaching, you will learn, he added.
But the best place to start is knowing that reaching out is okay.
When I started my career in computer science, I didn't even know I should be seeking a mentor, Beladinejad said, echoing remarks from the other panelists.
I learned not to be shy, to ask for support and seek help whenever you get stuck on something - always have the confidence to approach your professors and classmates, she added.
2) Get Experience Kallot explained that the best way to learn is by doing.
She got a degree in political science and learned about technology - including how to code - while working in the industry.
She started out as a sales and marketing analyst, then leaped to a product manager role.
I had to learn everything about AI in three months, and at the same time I had to learn to use the product, I had to learn to code, she said.
The best experience, explained Roos, is to surround yourself with people on the same learning journey, whether they're learning online or in person.
Don't do it alone. If you can, grab your friends, grab your colleagues, maybe start a study group and create a curriculum, he said. Meet once a week, twice a week - it's much more fun that way.
3) Develop Soft Skills You'll also need the communications skills to explain what you're learning, and doing, in AI as you progress.
Practice talking about technical topics to non-technical audiences, Stewart said.
Ajoku recommended learning and practicing public speaking.
Ajoku took an acting class at Carnegie Mellon University. Similarly, Roos took an improv comedy class.
Others on the panel learned to perform, publicly, through dance and sports.
The more you're cross-trained, the more comfortable you're going to be and the better you're going to be able to express yourself in any environment, Stewart said.
4) Define Your Why The most important element, however, comes from within, the panelists said.
They urged listeners to find a reason, something that drives them to stay motivated on their journey.
For some, it's environmental issues. Others are driven by a desire to make technology more accessible. Or to help make the industry more inclusive, panelists said.
It's helpful for anyone if you have a topic that you're passionate about, Beladinejad said. That would help keep you going, keep your motivation up.
Whatever you do, do it with passion, Stewart said. Do it with purpose.
Burning Questions Throughout the conversation, thousands of virtual attendees submitted more than 350 questions about how to get started in their AI careers.
Among them:
What's the best way to learn about deep learning?
The NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute offers a huge variety of hands-on courses.
Even more resources for new and experienced developers alike are available through the NVIDIA Developer program, which includes resources for those pursuing higher education and research.
Massive open online courses - or MOOCs - have made learning about technical subjects more accessible than ever. One panelist suggested looking for classes taught by Stanford Professor Andrew Ng on Coursera.
There are many MOOC courses out there, YouTube videos and books - I highly recommend finding a study buddy as well, another wrote.
Join technical and professional networks get some experience through volunteering, participating in a Kaggle competition, etc.
What are some of the most prevalent tools and frameworks used in machine learning and AI in industry? Which ones are crucial to landing a first job or internship in the field?
The best way to figure out which technologies you want to start with, one panelist suggested, is to think about what you want to do.
Another suggested, however, that learning Python isn't a bad place to begin.
A lot of today's AI tools are based on Python, they wrote. You can't go wrong by mastering Python.
The technology is evolving rapidly, so many of today's AI developers are constantly learning new things. Having software fundamentals like data structures and common languages like Python and C will help set you up to learn on the job,' another added.
What's the best way to start getting
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
12/11/2026
Disney, ESPN and the NBA will present Dunk the Halls, the third real-time animated NBA game using Sony's Beyond Sports data visualization technology, on Chr...
12/11/2026
Van Wagner has launched Van Wagner RELAY, a digital platform for official athlet...
12/11/2026
Deal brings together two of the industry's most established graphics brands and significantly expands Vizrt's footprint in U.S. sports and regional broa...
12/11/2026
Euro TV Production GmbH of Austria has upgraded its outside broadcast vehicle with Lawo technology. The mc 36 Classic console in service since 2019 was replaced...
12/11/2026
Tagboard has launched Spark Resize, an AI-assisted tool now in beta that takes an existing graphic and produces a new version for a different aspect ratio or sc...
How do I start a career as a deep learning engineer? What are some of the key tools and frameworks used in AI? How do I learn more about ethics in AI?
