One thing I started more clearly appreciating in the past year or so, is just how fast the data science/artificial intelligence industry is changing.

Of course, before that I still would have said that ‘being adaptable is key’ or whatever – but, I completely didn’t grasp just how much change we’re apparently going through.  For example, VC funding for AI/analytics-related startups is at an all-time high, and for the same sectors there’s more and more accelerators and incubators popping up, all over the place.

Long story short, there’s a ton of new data science/AI startups entering the game, and depending on who you ask, they’re either looking to make the data scientist’s job easier or replace the data scientist altogether.  My thought is the motivation is generally somewhere in between – but in any case, there are about to be huge changes to the role of the data scientist.

I have no idea how to keep up with all this, discerning the legit trends vs whatever is just pure hype.  So, against my strongly introverted preferences, I started to more aggressively make it a point to semi-regularly have conversations with people about what’s going on in their little corner of the industry.

These people – some old college buddies, some found through LinkedIn – currently work in all sorts of different domains (mainly fintech, biotech, social media).  Additionally, I have a few data science/AI recruiter buddies as well, and someone in VC.  The roles include both individual contributors and managers (although sometimes not so clearly defined).

I could be completely wrong, but I do feel that this group of industry buddies gives me a pretty decent feel of what’s going on – at least relative to me not talking to these people.  Of course, it’s a challenge for me to keep finding the motivation to have these semi-regular conversations – but so far, I think it’s been worth it.

Anyways, that’s all – so if you hear me referring to a group of people in industry that I frequently talk to, this is what I’m talking about.

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