Workers explain how they pivoted to AI-related jobs

Five Workers Describe Transitions Into AI-Related Roles

Several employees have moved into positions involving artificial intelligence from varied prior fields, including law, structural engineering, data analysis, administration, and user experience design. These shifts occurred as companies allocated resources to AI development and created associated roles. LinkedIn's Jobs On the Rise 2026 report listed AI engineers, consultants, strategists, and researchers among the five fastest-growing job categories in the United States.

Business Insider interviewed five individuals about the steps they took. Their accounts illustrate different entry points rather than a uniform process.

Natasha Crampton serves as Microsoft's chief responsible AI officer. She began her career as an attorney after studying information systems and law. Her work has consistently addressed technology-related legal matters, including contract drafting for Microsoft. In her current position, she collaborates with engineering, sales, and research teams on AI system development and participates in external efforts to shape regulations and standards.

Crampton stated that individuals entering technology fields from other backgrounds can begin by using the tools directly. She noted that many technical skills can be acquired and that contributions often occur at the intersection of technical knowledge and perspectives from the social sciences.

Georgian Tutuianu works as an AI engineer at HubSpot. He previously held roles in structural engineering, traditional engineering, and software engineering. During his application process, he presented a résumé that included a section on personal projects, one of which involved AI. The project was discussed in an interview when he was asked about prior experience building or using an AI agent. He also completed a take-home coding assignment reviewed with the hiring manager. Tutuianu observed that the interview focused on practical construction of relevant systems rather than solving algorithms on the spot.

Jai Raj Choudhary holds an AI engineer position at the startup StackAI. He previously worked in a data-focused role. He secured the position after contacting the company's cofounder repeatedly via LinkedIn, having used the platform as a student, and by posting publicly about the company with suggestions. He attributed receiving offers to his familiarity with data quality issues, client edge cases, and limitations of AI models and large language systems. Choudhary relocated to San Francisco, where he described working hours as 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days per week. He also reported daily study of technical topics and credited time at a startup for skill development.

Brit Morenus is a senior AI gamification program manager at Microsoft. She studied English, communications, and marketing. She joined the company approximately 13 years ago as an executive assistant on a contract basis for the first five and a half years. She later moved into a gamification role focused on applying game mechanics to product education and marketing. After obtaining certifications in game mechanics, she became a full-time employee. Six years afterward, she began adapting gamification methods to AI learning materials, which required three months of study on the technology.

Morenus advised against allowing apprehension to prevent movement outside familiar responsibilities. She stated that effective work in AI roles requires understanding how the systems operate, beyond surface-level use. She noted that her English degree supports tasks involving clear application of language to AI outputs.

Sajani Lokuge leads AI communication and content strategy at her company. She started as a UX designer after studying computer science. She had spent years translating technical issues for users through design work and maintained a LinkedIn platform on design careers and AI that reached about 26,000 followers. Her transition occurred nearly one year ago. She described the move as consistent with prior responsibilities, shifting from interface design to structuring explanations of AI products. Lokuge recommended beginning such changes without waiting for complete preparation, given the pace of technological change, and suggested building a public record of relevant work to demonstrate communication skills.

An earlier version of this article was published on April 25, 2026.