These days, most hiring managers want people who’ve got a mix of technical and real-world experience. They’re keen on people with advanced degrees in the relevant areas, of course, but typically if you come from a background of Law, philosophy or tech you’re in a good spot.
What they really care about is whether you can think about AI problems from different angles. With a lens of regulation standards & policy understand in the Australian business context as a background
The technical side is important, but here’s the thing – you don’t necessarily need to be a coding wizard. What matters more is being able to understand enough about AI or machine learning to have meaningful conversations with the tech teams. It’s more about being able to spot potential problems and ask the right questions.
Experience-wise, governance or compliance beforehand, especially if you’ve dealt with Australian regulators, is a HUGE bonus. Naturally, understanding local context makes a huge difference. They’re particularly keen on people who get our unique business perspective, including how AI might affect Indigenous communities and data sovereignty etc.
What’s really interesting is how much emphasis they put on people skills. Makes sense when you think about it – a big part of the job is explaining complex ethical discussions to different people, from tech developers to executives.
You have to deliver the point without losing people’s attention, which can become tedious when discussing deep technical terms and concepts about deep learning models, statistics & coding especially if you’re not that way inclined.
Project management skills are becoming a bigger deal too. These roles often involve getting different teams to work together and actually implement new frameworks – it’s not just about coming up with theoretical solutions.
Something that might surprise people is how much value they place on being able to write clear policies and guidelines. It’s one thing to understand ethics, but being able to turn that into practical, easy-to-follow rules is a whole other skill.
They’re also really keen on people who keep learning and staying up to date with what’s happening in the field. AI ethics is changing so quickly – what was cutting edge last year might be old hat now.
- The personal stuff matters too – they want people
who can stand their ground when needed but also
know how to work well with others. It can be tricky
balancing ethical considerations with business
needs, so being diplomatic while staying true to your principles is crucial.
- Leadership potential is becoming more important
too. Many companies are starting to see these roles
as stepping stones to senior positions, which makes
sense given how central AI ethics is becoming to
business strategy.
Overall, it’s an exciting field that’s still evolving. Companies are looking for well rounded people who can handle both the technical and human sides of AI ethics, while understanding the unique Australian context. It’s not just about knowing the rules – it’s about helping shape how AI is used responsibly.
