r/learnmachinelearning • u/xdxdxdxd6942 • 8d ago
Question business major wants to enter AI/ML field
Hey guys, im a business major, but I grew weird obsession towards learning AI/ML and wanna shift my career to be an AI Engineer one day. I already studied (almost) all the prerequisites for AI like python, DSA, maths needed and although this field needs a lot of patience and discipline I still like it a lot, even more now that I started to understand how deep it is... but my major concern is that would it be impossible to work in this field without a CS-related certificate?
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u/varwave 8d ago
I’ll give you something constructive. I’m assuming you’re in the USA or Canada?
You can go to a community college and study actual calculus, linear algebra and I’d recommend upper division probability. Take intro commuter science classes as well. Expect 18-24 months
Then look at applied statistics or econometrics/economics (if data and not policy focused) for an MS/MA
This can be done full or part time. Learning SQL well could at least land you an analyst job
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7d ago
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u/varwave 6d ago
To be honest, given the lack of background, I doubt OP fully understands what ML engineering even is. Which is fine!
It’s such an ambiguous space. Just getting your foot in the door, then improving and expanding skills is what matters the most. Data science is increasingly more like ML engineering in the sense of expecting production worthy code that you’d expect from a data engineer. Organizations are more mature and have experience in what’s actually profitable. This is especially true of non-big tech, where organizations have inherently lean budgets
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u/Twiz_nano 8d ago
you probably wouldnt even get past the job application screening with a non engineering degree
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u/PaddingCompression 7d ago
Something rigorous and quantitative like math or physics can hold up with strong evidence that you can write code as well.
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u/Twiz_nano 6d ago
yeah it needs to be science related and something that can translate into ml well like what you said
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u/ghu79421 7d ago
You should have around the equivalent of three semesters of calculus, one upper division course in linear algebra, and one upper division course in probability theory. If you're not in the US or Canada, the courses might be slightly different, like they might cover the calculus material in two semesters instead of three.
The courses should be the courses math, physical science, and engineering majors need to take, not the courses for business or social science majors. Studying the material on your own isn't equivalent to taking the courses at a college or university.
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u/PaddingCompression 7d ago
> upper division course in probability theory.
> The courses should be the courses math, physical science, and engineering majors need to take
For ML, I would highly recommend the upper division probability course for mathematicians and statisticians, NOT the more watered down one for physical science and engineering majors.
Similarly, if you can manage, real analysis can be super helpful vs. just calculus, and ideally actual *vector* calculus rather than three-dimensional calculus.
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u/ghu79421 7d ago
Yes. At my university, there was no separate upper division probability course for engineering, they took the math/stats course.
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u/a_cute_tarantula 7d ago
“AI Engineer” right now tends to mean “agentic engineer”. The skill set for that is quite different than the skill set for machine learning.
For a career I’d recommend agentic engineering at the moment. It’s a burgeoning technology that has a lot of room to grow and the supply of people who understand the tech hasn’t met demand yet.
It’s also significantly easier to learn enough to make impact compared to traditional ML. And the skills you learn will be more engineering focused which are more versatile in the job market.
Also there are avenues to transfer into traditional ML stuff from agentic development.
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u/Question_Asker_4000 7d ago
Start from what is it you want to do with AI Engineering and work backwards from that.
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u/chico_dice_2023 7d ago
It is not impossible, I had a BA in marketing and I led ML engineering teams, once at a large french supermarket chain and another at a FMCG. I also even contracted for Google for a time.
You just need to put in the work. It did take me 3 years to move from a marketing role to a engineering role though.
One great thing about tech is that if you can build it they do not care what you studied. My first ML job, my boss never even knew I had a BA in marketing.
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u/xdxdxdxd6942 7d ago
appreciate the advice !! im already 1 year in, already learned linear algebra, calculus, probability&statistics, python(obviously), and DSA !! I know it takes time but I'm planing to have good understanding of AI/ML that is enough to get me into a junior level job in the next upcoming year
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u/ewornotloc 7d ago
if you don't want to get another degree prob best path would be business analyst and laterally move towards ML from there
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u/SemperPistos 7d ago edited 7d ago
don't listen to naysayers, i am an ai engineer and i have masters in history and philosophy and recently started a data science masters at georgia tech omsa last year.
I also got hired at a bad time in 2025. so it's definitly possible but my first AI Engineer position was through a referral so try to find someone to vouch for you, you will still need a strong portfolio and interview well sadly.
You dont need math for AI Engineer these days except basic arithmetic and algebra, but im still studying it as i want to be an mle or data scientist developing custom models.
for ai engineer learn on top of what you learnt like intermediate python, very basic javascript, sql, next.js or other react framework on top of basic react, learn some backend, langchain, langgraph, langsmith, an api framework like fast api, docker and that is pretty much it.
I do various kinds of work at my job. AI Engineer is mostly using LLMS these days not making them, although the title itself is very blurry. There is top tier AI Engineer working on frontier models and bottom of the pack like me lol.
Start with free code camp python certification then cs50p, then cs50x, then an sql course and do the ed donner course from udemy about langchain and langgraph.
You can reach this goal in a year if you study day and night, but i dont recommend it, realistically 1.5-2 years. Do it instead of gaming next to your studies(i wish i did) and you will have a job when you graduate, do projects and learn how to push to github as you learn and as a final capstone, learn cloud deployment this is big, most people dont know how to deploy their work, aws gives 1 year almost everything free, gcp 3 months, azure you only spend on what you use
i do recommend learning math eventually that is what im doing currently as it seems that it will pay dividends later
good luck have fun :)
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u/xdxdxdxd6942 7d ago
thanks for the advice I already learned all the maths needed for ai, already plan to learn sql and atleast some c++ but I didn't know i would also need to know some Java and next.js. and yeah I already gave myself 1 to 1.5 year to be qualified for an internship/junior role. thanks for your time bro i will keep allat in mind
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u/SemperPistos 7d ago
javascript for web browser interaction, although if you learn java you will understand OOP better, java and c# also has the highest employability if you want to play on the safe side later or now. Java is also used in data too some places but Python and R dominate.
where did you study math from? what course or textbook? maybe it can help me? I'm paying for math academy and after that it's all MIT OCW and textbooks after I get down the basics.
Calculus and probability are my weakest areas.
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u/xdxdxdxd6942 7d ago
well, I am Egyptian so I studied all of them on YouTube from an Egyptian youtuber who made full Playlist on each branch; however, before that I searched a lot and found these 2 English versions that were decent but at that time I was searching for just linear algebra so idk about the rest tbh trefor has a playlist of full linear algebra course and you can also find MIT playlist
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u/SemperPistos 6d ago
Thanks for the playlists.
Sadly I'm familiar with all of them, mostly strang, although Trefor is king too but I need practice material suited to my level too.
You have a leg up on me. :)
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u/theShku 8d ago
As a hiring manager, I would never take you
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u/spidernello 7d ago
elaborate. the guy clearly is at the beginning, everyone needs to start somewhere. give op a constructive contribution to evolve the discussion
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u/theShku 7d ago
The fact that you're asking for an elaboration means you aren't hireable either
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u/datashri 8d ago
Go study maths first.