Seven New High-Paying Professions in Demand, Starting Salaries From Rp2 Billion
AI usage surge is giving rise to a wave of high-paying professions. Several global technology companies are racing to recruit AI talent, from AI philosophers to vibe coders, with salaries ranging from US$115,000 per year to more than US$200,000 per year.
This phenomenon comes amid waves of layoffs triggered by AI automation. Many companies are trimming long-time staff while opening new roles that did not exist before. Some are old professions that have “re-emerged” in the technology industry.
One of the most sought-after roles is the forward deployed engineer. This position directly accompanies client companies to build AI solutions tailored to business needs.
Data from Indeed shows that openings for forward deployed engineers in January 2026 rose 19-fold year-on-year. Giants such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Amazon Web Services offer salaries starting at US$115,000 (Rp2 billion) and up to more than US$200,000 (Rp3.5 billion) per year.
Additionally, AI companies are actively seeking AI evangelists, those tasked with introducing AI technology to the public and the startup ecosystem. Anthropic even opened a position called “Claude Evangelist” with an annual salary of up to US$240,000 (Rp4.2 billion).
Another unique profession is the AI philosopher. The role involves ensuring that AI models remain aligned with human values and ethics. Google DeepMind has previously advertised positions relating to AI ethics and safety with salaries reaching US$231,000 per year.
Another new profession is the vibe coder. The term, once Internet slang, has now formally appeared in job postings. It refers to someone who builds software using natural language prompts through AI coding tools. Salaries for vibe coders at TikTok start at US$108,000 per year, while at YouTube reach US$149,000.
At the top is the Chief AI Officer. PwC appointed a Chief AI Officer in July 2024, while Accenture established the role Chief Responsible AI Officer in the same year. Glassdoor estimates salaries for Chief AI Officers in the private sector range from US$265,000 (Rp4.7 billion) to US$494,000 (Rp8.7 billion) per year.
Here is the list of AI professions newly in demand by companies, quoted from The Next Web, Monday 18 May 2026:
Forward deployed engineer: A technology engineer who works directly within the user team or department, not only at the central tech team’s headquarters. They solve problems directly, understand the team’s needs, and create or tailor technology tools precisely where the tool will be used.
AI evangelist: A person tasked with introducing and promoting AI technology to others. They explain what AI can do, how AI helps work, and invite and teach others to use AI tools correctly.
AI philosopher: A person who contemplates big questions about AI: Does AI truly think or merely calculate? What are the impacts if AI makes decisions? How should AI participate in human life, ethics, and society? The focus is on meaning, value, and long-term impact.
Internal AI accelerator: A role within a company tasked with accelerating the deployment of AI technology. They help various teams identify parts of work that AI can assist, overcome obstacles, share best practices, and ensure AI projects finish faster and run well across the company.
Vibe coder: A casual term for a person who writes software code to achieve a desired mood or vibe, not merely following a rigid plan. They work creatively and quickly to ensure the final result aligns with the intended style, nuance, or user experience.
AI model trainer/freelancer: A person who prepares data and guides an AI system to learn correctly. They ‘teach’ AI to recognise patterns, answer questions, or perform tasks by providing good examples and refining how it works. This work is performed independently and can be for a range of clients.
Chief AI Officer: The top leader responsible for all things AI within an organisation. They set the overarching AI strategy, ensure AI is used safely and ethically, lead the AI development team, and ensure that AI usage helps the company achieve its goals.