Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Key Takeaways An AI specialist is someone who connects business problems to AI solutions. They identify where automation adds value, wire it safely to your data and help your team use it every day.
Companies that delay hiring an AI specialist will fall behind in productivity and face the risks that come with ungoverned AI.
In your search for an AI specialist, look for someone who is experienced, curious, practical and focused on results.
Every company will need an AI Specialist by 2026. Not eventually. Not in five years. By 2026.
If that sounds bold, look at what’s happening in your own business right now. Your teams are already using AI tools every single day. The real issue is whether you manage it strategically or let it run on its own without any governance. Companies that don’t have someone intentionally managing this shift will fall behind fast.
Related: Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place
What an AI Specialist actually is
When I say “AI Specialist,” I’m not talking about a coder in a hoodie or someone who’s just good at writing prompts. I mean someone who connects business problems to AI solutions — mapping where automation adds value, wiring it safely to your data and helping your team use it every day. The role is part strategist, part technologist and part teacher.
At DOXA Talent®, we learned this the hard way. We started experimenting with AI tools for fun, testing things and tinkering on the sidelines, but when those experiments began touching real business processes like revenue tracking, client analytics and internal reporting, we hit a wall.
... continue reading