How Do I Start Working With AI?

Okay, so you want to work with AI. Great timing – the industry is booming right now, and there are jobs for almost everyone. But where the hell do you start?

I have talked to a bunch of Swedes working with AI – from self-taught prompt engineers to people with AI engineering education from KTH. Here's what you actually need to know.

Spoiler: You don't need to be a math whiz or know how to code to work with AI. Seriously.

AI Jobs Are No Longer Just for Engineers

About two years ago, all AI jobs were "Machine Learning Engineer" and "Data Scientist" – jobs where you needed to know Python, math, and a lot of other nerdy things.

2026? Completely different.

AI jobs that don't require coding:

• AI Coach - Train AI to speak Swedish/understand context (pays 35-50k/month)

• Prompt Engineer - Writes smart prompts for companies (40-60k/month)

• AI Content Strategist - Plans how companies use AI (45-65k/month)

• AI Product Manager - No code, just strategy (60-80k/month)

• AI Consultant - Helps companies get started (50-100k/month as a freelancer)

AI jobs for nerds who like coding:

• AI Engineer - Builds AI systems (55-85k/month)

• Machine Learning Engineer - Trains models (60-90k/month)

• AI Researcher - Research and development (50-80k/month)

• MLOps Engineer - Manages AI in production (65-95k/month)

Bottom line: There are AI jobs for everyone. The question is just what you like to do.

What Do AI Jobs Actually Pay? (AI Job Salary)

Let's talk money. Here's what people actually earn from AI jobs in Sweden 2026:

Entry-level (0-2 years experience):

• AI Coach jobs: 35-45k/month

• Junior AI Engineer: 40-55k/month

• Prompt Engineer: 38-50k/month

• AI Content Specialist: 35-48k/month

Mid-level (2-5 years):

• AI Engineer: 55-75k/month

• Senior Prompt Engineer: 55-70k/month

• AI Product Manager: 60-80k/month

• ML Engineer: 60-85k/month

Senior (5+ years):

• Senior AI Engineer: 75-95k/month

• AI Architect: 80-110k/month

• AI Lead/Manager: 85-120k/month

• Freelance AI Consultant: 100-200k/month (project-based)

Compare with other tech jobs:

• Frontend developer: 45-65k

• Backend developer: 50-70k

• DevOps: 55-75k

• AI Engineer: 55-85k

AI pays better. Much better.

Okay, So How the Hell Do I Start? (No Bullshit)

If you can't code (and don't want to learn)

Step 1: Become an expert at using AI

Spend 2-3 months just using AI tools daily:

• ChatGPT - learn advanced prompting

• Claude - understand how different models work

• Midjourney - image generation

• Notion AI - productivity

Goal: You should be able to do things with AI that others can't.

Step 2: Build a portfolio

Create concrete examples of what you can do:

• "I created an Instagram account that grew to 10k followers with AI content"

• "I automated our customer service emails with ChatGPT and saved 20h/week"

• "I wrote 50 blog posts with AI that ranked on Google"

Step 3: Apply for AI Coach jobs or prompt engineer

Companies hiring AI Coaches:

• Scale AI (remote, global)

• Appen (Swedish AI training data)

• DataAnnotation (remote)

• Lionbridge (remote)

Or search for "prompt engineer" on LinkedIn - lots of small startups are hiring.

Step 4: Freelance on the side

While you're job hunting, offer AI services:

• "I'll automate your marketing with AI - 5000 SEK/month"

• "I'll train your team in AI tools - 3000 SEK/session"

Realistic timeline: 3-6 months from zero to first AI job.

If you want/can learn to code

Step 1: Learn Python (3-6 months)

Free resources:

• Python.org tutorials

• freeCodeCamp (YouTube)

• Harvard CS50 (free online)

You need: Basics, loops, functions, libraries.

Step 2: Learn Machine Learning basics

Free courses:

• Andrew Ng's Machine Learning (Coursera) - THE classic

• Fast.ai (super practical)

• Google's ML Crash Course

Time: 2-4 months alongside Python.

Step 3: Build projects

Create 3-5 portfolio projects:

• "AI that classifies images"

• "Chatbot for customer support"

• "Price prediction model"

• "Sentiment analysis on Swedish tweets"

Push everything to GitHub.

Step 4: Apply for Junior AI Engineer or ML roles

Stockholm companies hiring junior AI:

• Klarna

• Spotify

• Peltarion

• Sana Labs

• King (gaming AI)

Timeline: 6-12 months from zero to junior AI engineer job.

AI Engineer Education - Do You Really Need to Go to University?

Short answer: No, not necessarily.

Long answer: It depends on what you want to do.

University route (3-5 years)

Programs in Sweden:

KTH - Civil Engineering in Computer Science (AI focus)

• 5 years

• Free (CSN)

• Strong brand name

• Machine learning, deep learning, NLP courses

Chalmers - Data Science & AI

• 5 years engineering or 2 years master

• Free (CSN)

• Focus on practical AI

Lund University - Machine Learning

• 2 years master

• Free (CSN)

• Research-focused

Stockholm University - Data Science

• 2 years master

• AI and statistics

Umeå, Linköping, Uppsala - Also have AI programs

Advantages: ✅ Solid theoretical foundation ✅ Network ✅ "Big name" on the CV ✅ CSN = free + money

Disadvantages: ❌ 3-5 years is long ❌ A lot of theory, little practice ❌ No guarantee of a job after ❌ Learn things you never use

Bootcamp route (3-6 months)

Swedish AI Bootcamps:

Technigo - AI & Machine Learning Bootcamp

• 3 months full-time or 6 months part-time

• 70,000 SEK

• Job guarantee (or money back)

• Stockholm-based

Hyper Island - AI for Business

• 6 weeks

• ~50,000 SEK

• Focus on the business side, not deep tech

General Assembly - Data Science

• 10-12 weeks

• ~100,000 SEK

• Remote or Stockholm

Code Institute - AI & Data Analytics

• Online, self-paced

• 15,000 SEK

• Diploma recognized in Sweden

Advantages: ✅ Quick - 3-6 months ✅ Practical focus ✅ Job placement support ✅ Portfolio building

Disadvantages: ❌ Costs money ❌ Less theoretical basis ❌ Not the same "prestige" as uni ❌ Smaller network

Self-taught route (6-12 months)

Completely free resources:

Basic Python:

• Python.org

• freeCodeCamp

• Codecademy (free tier)

Machine Learning:

• Andrew Ng Coursera (audit free)

• Fast.ai (completely free)

• Google ML Crash Course

Deep Learning:

• Deep Learning Specialization (Coursera)

• PyTorch tutorials (free)

• TensorFlow tutorials (free)

Swedish resources:

• AI Sweden (free workshops)

• Meetups in Stockholm/Gothenburg

Advantages: ✅ Completely free (except your time) ✅ Flexible pace ✅ Learn exactly what you need ✅ Portfolio > degree for many jobs

Disadvantages: ❌ Requires discipline ❌ No structure ❌ Harder to network ❌ No credential

My take: If you are under 25 and have time → go to KTH/Chalmers. Free + good.

If you're 25+ and want to change careers → bootcamp or self-taught.

If you don't like coding → skip all this and become a prompt engineer.

AI Jobs From Home & AI Remote Jobs

One of the best things about AI jobs? Many are remote.

Companies hiring remote AI jobs for Swedes:

AI Coach jobs (remote):

• Scale AI - trains AI models from home

• Appen - Swedish language data

• Lionbridge - AI training and annotation

• DataAnnotation - labeling and feedback

Pays: 200-400 SEK/hour, flexible hours

Prompt Engineering (remote):

• Anthropic - remote roles

• OpenAI - some remote

• Swedish AI startups (check LinkedIn)

AI Content/Marketing (remote):

• About 80% of these jobs are remote now

• Search for "AI Content" + "remote" on LinkedIn

Freelance AI Consultant (from home):

• Upwork (global clients)

• Freelance.se (Swedish clients)

• Your own company

Where to find remote AI jobs?

Job boards:

• LinkedIn (filter: remote)

• We Work Remotely

• RemoteOK

• AngelList (startups)

• The Hub (Swedish remote jobs)

Tips: Many Swedish companies are okay with remote even if they don't advertise it. Just ask!

AI Engineer Jobs vs AI Coach Jobs - What's the Difference?

People confuse these, so let me clarify:

AI Engineer Jobs

What you do:

• Build AI systems and models

• Write code (Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch)

• Train and optimize models

• Integrate AI into products

Requirements:

• Know Python well

• Understand machine learning

• Often CS degree or equivalent

• Portfolio with projects

Salary: 55-85k/month (mid-level)

Where: Tech companies, startups, larger companies

AI Coach Jobs

What you do:

• Provide feedback to AI models

• Label data (images, text, sound)

• Assess AI responses (good/bad)

• Teach AI to understand context and culture

Requirements:

• No coding skills required!

• Good Swedish (often)

• Attention to detail

• Logical thinking

Salary: 35-50k/month (or 200-400 SEK/hour remote)

Where: Scale AI, Appen, Lionbridge, DataAnnotation

Key difference: AI engineer = builds the system. AI coach = trains the system.

Train AI Jobs - How It Works

"Train AI" basically means you help AI models become smarter by giving them feedback.

Concrete examples of AI training:

1. Text feedback:

2. Image labeling:

Bild: [En hund]

3. Conversation rating:

Companies hiring AI coaches in Sweden:

Appen (Swedish company)

• Swedish language data

• Remote or Stockholm

• 250-350 SEK/hour

• Flexible hours

Scale AI (global, remote)

• All languages including Swedish

• Flexible project-based

• $15-25/hour

• Work from anywhere

Lionbridge

• Remote

• Swedish AI training

• Part-time or full-time

• ~200-300 SEK/hour

DataAnnotation

• Completely remote

• Pays per task

• Swedish tasks available

How to find these jobs:

• LinkedIn: search "AI trainer"

• Directly on company websites

• Remote.co

• FlexJobs

AI Jobs Are Disappearing - But Which Ones?

Okay, real talk: AI will take some jobs. But it creates more new ones than it takes.

Jobs disappearing/reducing:

Customer support (basic):

• AI chatbots handle 80% of questions

• Only complex cases go to humans

• Disappearing: ~40% of positions according to McKinsey

Data entry:

• AI can read, categorize, sort data

• About 90% automated

• Disappearing: Majority of roles

Basic copywriting:

• AI writes basic product descriptions, SEO texts

• Human writers focus on strategy and creativity

• Disappearing: Entry-level copywriting reduces by 50%

Telemarketing:

• AI can cold-call, qualify leads

• Disappearing: The whole industry almost

Basic translation:

• DeepL and ChatGPT translate better than basic translators

• Remaining: Literary translation, legal, technical

But here's the thing: For every job that disappears, 2-3 new AI-related jobs are created.

New jobs that are GROWING:

• AI Coach (explosive growth)

• Prompt engineers

• AI product managers

• AI ethics specialists

• AI integration consultants

• Hybrid roles (e.g., "Copywriter + AI specialist")

Sweden Statistics 2026:

• 15,000 AI-related jobs (up from 4,000 in 2023)

• 50,000 more expected in 2028

• Demand > Supply (lack of people!)

Bottom line: If you learn AI now, you position yourself for the future.

How Do I Find My First AI Job?

Practical tips that actually work:

1. LinkedIn is gold

Optimize your profile:

• Headline: "Aspiring AI Engineer" or "Prompt Engineer | AI Enthusiast"

• About: Tell what you can do with AI

• Featured: Portfolio projects, articles about AI

• Skills: Python, Machine Learning, ChatGPT, etc.

Follow the right people:

• Swedish AI founders

• Recruiters at AI companies

• AI Sweden

• #MachineLearning #AIJobsSweden

Post content:

• Share AI projects

• Write about what you learn

• Comment on AI discussions

Networking effect: When recruiters search "AI" + "Stockholm," you show up.

2. Build portfolio (more important than CV)

3-5 projects that show what you can do:

If you code:

• GitHub with 3-5 clean projects

• README that actually explains what it does

• Live demos if possible

If you don't code:

• Case studies on LinkedIn/Medium

• "How I automated X with AI"

• Screenshots, results, metrics

Example: "I built a customer service chatbot that answered 80% of questions automatically → saved the company 15h/week."

3. Start with freelancing

While you're looking for full-time jobs, freelance:

Fiverr/Upwork:

• "I'll create ChatGPT prompts for your business"

• "I'll automate your workflow with AI"

• "I'll create AI-generated content"

Charge: Start 500-1000 SEK/project, scale up.

Benefit:

• Builds portfolio

• Earn money

• Learn what clients actually need

4. Cold outreach to Swedish AI startups

Find them:

• LinkedIn: Filter companies by "Artificial Intelligence"

• Crunchbase: Swedish AI startups

• Nordic Startup School members

Email founders:

Hej [Namn],

Jag heter [X] och har följt [Företag] ett tag - er approach till [Y] är riktigt cool.

Jag har byggt några AI-projekt själv [länk till portfolio] och undrar om ni söker någon, antingen full-time eller intern?

Jag kan börja direkt och är öppen för att börja som praktikant för att bevisa värde.

Tack för er tid!
[Ditt namn]

Success rate: ~10-15% respond, 2-3% become meetings.

Send to 50 startups = 5-7 meetings = 1-2 offers.

5. AI communities and meetups

Stockholm:

• Stockholm AI (meetup group)

• AI Sweden events

• SUP46 AI nights

• Nordic AI Meet

Online:

• AI Sweden Slack

• Swedish AI groups on LinkedIn

• Discord communities

Benefit: Network with people who are hiring.

Okay, In Summary - Your Action Plan

If you want to work with AI but not code:

Month 1-2:

• Use ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney daily

• Learn advanced prompting

• Create 3 portfolio examples

Month 3:

• Apply for AI Coach jobs (Scale AI, Appen)

• Freelance on Fiverr/Upwork

• Build LinkedIn presence

Month 4-6:

• Apply to 50+ AI-related jobs

• Continue freelancing

• Network at meetups

Expected: First AI job within 6 months.

If you want to become an AI engineer:

Month 1-3:

• Learn Python (free online)

• Andrew Ng's ML course

• Build 2 simple projects

Month 4-6:

• Deepen ML knowledge

• Build 3-5 portfolio projects

• Push everything to GitHub

Month 7-9:

• Apply for junior roles

• Keep building projects

• Contribute to open source

Month 10-12:

• Intensive job search

• Freelance projects

• Networking hardcore

Expected: Junior AI engineer job within 12 months.

If you're unsure what you want:

Start here:

1. Spend 1 month just using AI tools

2. Try both coding a bit (Python basics) AND just usage

3. See what you enjoy more

4. Choose path based on that

No stress: You can always pivot later. The AI industry is so new that everyone is improvising anyway.

Common Questions

Do I need to know math to work with AI?

Depends on the role. AI Engineer? Yes, a little linear algebra and statistics help. AI Coach, Prompt Engineer, AI Content? No, zero math required.

Am I too old to start with AI?

No. I have talked to people who switched to AI at 35, 42, even 50. Your previous experience + AI = often more valuable than a 23-year-old CS grad.

Can I learn AI in 3 months?

Learn to use AI tools? Yes, absolutely. Become an AI engineer? No, it takes 6-12 months minimum. But you can start freelancing after 2-3 months.

Which companies hire the most AI people in Sweden?

Stockholm: Klarna, Spotify, King, Peltarion, Sana Labs, Recorded Future Gothenburg: Volvo, Zenuity, CEVT Remote: Scale AI, Appen, Lionbridge, OpenAI (some roles)

Do I have to live in Stockholm?

No! Many AI jobs are remote. Stockholm has the most jobs, but Gothenburg, Malmö, even smaller towns have AI companies now. Plus remote jobs globally.

What is the easiest way to break into the AI industry?

Start as an AI Coach. Requires zero coding, pays OK (200-400 SEK/hour), can work remote, flexible hours. Perfect entry point. Then you can advance.

Will AI replace me in 5 years?

More like: "People who can use AI will replace you in 5 years." That's why it's smart to learn NOW. AI is a tool, not a replacement.

Conclusion: AI Jobs are for Everyone (Seriously)

Here's the thing: The AI industry is so new that no one really knows what they're doing. That means you can get in even without a "perfect" background.

You don’t need:

• CS degree

• To be a math whiz

• Have worked at Google

• Be 22 years old

You need:

• Curiosity

• Willingness to learn

• Portfolio that shows what you can do

• Ability to google and solve problems

2026 is PERFECT timing. In 5 years, AI jobs will be standard and competition harder. Right now? It’s still early days.

So start today. Pick a tool, learn it, build something, show it. Repeat.

You got this.

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