{"id":14593,"date":"2026-10-07T22:10:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/?p=14593"},"modified":"2026-10-07T22:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:41:05","slug":"blog-how-to-become-ai-research-scientist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/blog-how-to-become-ai-research-scientist\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become an AI research scientist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re more interested in asking why a model works than just using it off the shelf, a career as an AI research scientist<\/strong> might be the right fit for you. Unlike most applied AI or machine learning roles, which focus on deploying existing models into products, an AI research scientist<\/strong> designs new algorithms, tests hypotheses, and publishes findings that move the field forward. Interest in this path has grown sharply as companies race to build better large language models, autonomous agents, and reasoning systems, and the demand for researchers who can move an idea from paper to production keeps climbing. This guide walks through how to become an AI research scientist<\/strong> step by step: the skills and degrees you need, the tools researchers use daily, and what an AI research scientist salary<\/strong> actually looks like in India and globally in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What Does an<\/strong> AI Research Scientist<\/strong> Do?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An AI research scientist<\/strong> investigates new algorithms, model architectures, and training techniques to advance what artificial intelligence can do. The work includes designing experiments, building and testing models, analyzing results rigorously, and publishing findings in peer-reviewed venues or technical reports. This is different from an applied machine learning engineer, whose job is to take existing models and deploy them reliably inside a product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aspect<\/strong><\/td>AI Research Scientist<\/strong><\/td>ML Engineer<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Primary goal<\/td>Invent new methods, advance the field<\/td>Deploy and scale existing models<\/td><\/tr>
Typical output<\/td>Papers, prototypes, novel architectures<\/td>Production ML systems, APIs<\/td><\/tr>
Education<\/td>Master’s\/PhD common<\/td>Bachelor’s\/Master’s common<\/td><\/tr>
Key skill<\/td>Experimental research design<\/td>Software and systems engineering<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Skills You Need to Become an<\/strong> AI Research Scientist<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you can become an AI research scientist<\/strong>, you need to build a specific mix of technical and research skills:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Mathematical foundations: linear algebra, probability, statistics, calculus, and optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Programming: strong Python skills; C++ helps for performance-critical research<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Deep learning frameworks: PyTorch, TensorFlow, and increasingly JAX<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Architecture knowledge: transformers, CNNs, RNNs, diffusion models, and reinforcement learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Research methodology: literature review, hypothesis testing, ablation studies, and statistical significance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Communication: writing clear papers and presenting findings to technical and non-technical audiences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nScaler Carousel<\/title>\n\n<!-- Plus Jakarta Sans Font -->\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Plus+Jakarta+Sans:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<!-- Swiper CSS -->\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.css\">\n\n<style>\n.scaler-carousel {\n font-family: 'Plus Jakarta Sans', sans-serif;\n max-width: 900px;\n margin: 24px auto;\n padding: 0;\n box-sizing: border-box;\n}\n.scaler-carousel *,\n.scaler-carousel *::before,\n.scaler-carousel *::after {\n box-sizing: border-box;\n}\n\n\/* Header *\/\n.scaler-header {\n text-align: center;\n margin-bottom: 20px;\n}\n.scaler-header-title {\n font-size: 22px;\n font-weight: 700;\n color: #1a1a2e;\n margin: 0 0 6px;\n line-height: 1.2;\n}\n.scaler-header-subtitle {\n font-size: 14px;\n color: #6b7280;\n margin: 0;\n 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full-stack development with AI integration<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/academy\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 2 -->\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><polyline points=\"16 18 22 12 16 6\"><\/polyline><polyline points=\"8 6 2 12 8 18\"><\/polyline><\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">AI Forward Deployed Engineer with Specialisation in AI applications<\/h3>\n <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Build and deploy AI solutions for real-world business problems<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-forward-deployed-engineer-course\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 3 -->\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><ellipse cx=\"12\" cy=\"5\" rx=\"9\" ry=\"3\"><\/ellipse><path d=\"M3 5v14c0 1.66 4.03 3 9 3s9-1.34 9-3V5\"><\/path><path d=\"M3 12c0 1.66 4.03 3 9 3s9-1.34 9-3\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">Modern Data Science and ML with specialisation in AI<\/h3>\n <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Advanced data science techniques with AI specialization<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/data-science-course\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 4 -->\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 2L13.5 8.5L20 10L13.5 11.5L12 18L10.5 11.5L4 10L10.5 8.5L12 2Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">Advanced AIML with Specialisation in Agentic AI<\/h3>\n <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Deep dive into AIML with focus on Agentic systems<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-machine-learning-course\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 5 -->\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n <path d=\"M17.5 19H9a7 7 0 1 1 6.71-9h1.79a4.5 4.5 0 1 1 0 9Z\"><\/path>\n <path d=\"M9.2 15.2a3 3 0 1 0 4.24-4.24\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">DevOps, Cloud & AI Platform Engineering<\/h3>\n <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Build and manage AI-powered cloud infrastructure<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/devops-course\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 6 -->\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n <line x1=\"3\" y1=\"22\" x2=\"21\" y2=\"22\"><\/line>\n <line x1=\"6\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"6\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n <line x1=\"10\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"10\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n <line x1=\"14\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"14\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n <line x1=\"18\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"18\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n <polygon points=\"12 2 20 7 4 7\"><\/polygon>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">AI Engineering Advanced Certification by IIT-Roorkee<\/h3>\n <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Premier AI engineering certification from IIT-Roorkee<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">3 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-logo-strip\" src=\"https:\/\/scaler-blog-prod-wp-content.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/08135139\/iitr-icons-strip.png\" alt=\"Program highlights\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/iit-roorkee-advanced-ai-engineering-course\/', '_blank')\">\n Go to Program\n <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- Continue for remaining cards (6\u20138) using same pattern -->\n\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- Swiper.js -->\n<script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.js\"><\/script>\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function () {\n const pathParts = window.location.pathname.split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean);\n const slug = pathParts[pathParts.length - 1] || \"\";\n const readableSlug = encodeURIComponent(slug);\n const buttons = document.querySelectorAll(\".scaler-card-btns button\");\n\n buttons.forEach((btn) => {\n const baseURL = btn.getAttribute(\"onclick\").match(\/'(.*?)'\/)[1];\n if (!baseURL.includes(\"utm_source=\")) {\n const separator = baseURL.includes(\"?\") ? \"&\" : \"?\";\n const updatedURL = `${baseURL}${separator}utm_source=blog&utm_medium=program_carousel&utm_content=${readableSlug}`;\n btn.setAttribute(\"onclick\", `window.open('${updatedURL}', '_blank')`);\n }\n });\n\n new Swiper(\".scaler-swiper\", {\n slidesPerView: 1,\n spaceBetween: 28,\n grabCursor: true,\n navigation: { nextEl: \".swiper-button-next\", prevEl: \".swiper-button-prev\" },\n pagination: { el: \".swiper-pagination\", dynamicBullets: true, clickable: true },\n breakpoints: { 1000: { slidesPerView: 2 } },\n keyboard: { enabled: true },\n });\n});\n<\/script>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Build Your AI and ML Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A research career in AI starts with strong fundamentals in mathematics, programming, machine learning, and deep learning. Scaler\u2019s AI & Machine Learning With Agentic AI program helps build these foundations through structured learning, hands-on projects, and 1:1 mentorship, giving you a stronger base before moving into advanced research work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-machine-learning-course\/\">Explore Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-to-become-an-ai-research-scientist-step-by-step-roadmap\"><\/span><strong>How to Become an AI Research Scientist<\/strong><strong>: Step-by-Step Roadmap<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here’s a practical, step-by-step roadmap for <strong>how to become an AI research scientist<\/strong>, whether you’re a student or switching careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Build a strong math and programming foundation. Spend focused time on linear algebra, probability, and Python before touching advanced ML.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn core machine learning and deep learning concepts. Understand how neural networks, backpropagation, and optimization actually work, not just how to call a library function.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Work on real projects. Reimplement a research paper from scratch, join a Kaggle competition, or contribute to an open-source library like Hugging Face Transformers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gain research experience. Look for research internships, assistantships under a professor, or research-focused roles inside a company; this is where you learn to design experiments properly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pursue a master’s degree or PhD. Most core research roles at top labs still expect a PhD or an equivalent publication record; a master’s with strong projects can open research-engineer roles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publish, network, and apply strategically. Share your work at conferences or on arXiv, build a GitHub\/Kaggle portfolio, and target labs and teams working on problems you genuinely care about.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For readers specifically asking <strong>how to be an AI scientist<\/strong> rather than an applied ML practitioner, the biggest lever isn’t a job title; it’s research experience: the projects, papers, and experiments you can point to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do-you-need-a-phd-to-become-an-ai-research-scientist\"><\/span><strong>Do You Need a PhD to Become an<\/strong> <strong>AI Research Scientist<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most pure research roles at labs like Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Meta FAIR expect a PhD or a strong, demonstrated research record with publications. That said, it’s increasingly possible to become an <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> without a traditional PhD if you can show equivalent depth: significant open-source contributions, well-documented independent research, or a master’s degree paired with published work. Companies building applied AI research teams, especially in India, sometimes prioritize demonstrated ability over the exact degree on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ai-research-scientist-salary-in-india-and-globally-2026\"><\/span><strong>AI Research Scientist Salary<\/strong> <strong>in India and Globally (2026)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AI research scientist salary<\/strong> is one of the strongest arguments for choosing this path, and it scales sharply with specialization and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Experience Level<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>AI Research Scientist Salary (India)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Global Range (USD)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Entry-level (0-2 yrs)<\/td><td>\u20b912-25 LPA<\/td><td>$90,000-$120,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mid-level (3-6 yrs)<\/td><td>\u20b940-90 LPA<\/td><td>$150,000-$200,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Senior (7+ yrs, top labs)<\/td><td>\u20b91-4 Cr<\/td><td>$200,000-$400,000+<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These <strong>AI research scientist salary<\/strong> figures reflect roles at product companies, global capability centers (GCCs), and top-tier AI labs. Niche specializations like large language model research or multimodal AI tend to command a premium over generalist ML research roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"tools-and-technologies-ai-research-scientists-use\"><\/span><strong>Tools and Technologies<\/strong> <strong>AI Research Scientists<\/strong> <strong>Use<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with strong fundamentals, familiarity with the right tools makes it easier to become an <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> that employers want to hire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PyTorch and TensorFlow for building and training models<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> JAX for high-performance, research-grade experimentation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hugging Face Transformers and datasets for NLP and LLM research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Weights & Biases or MLflow for experiment tracking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jupyter notebooks for rapid prototyping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Docker and cloud platforms like AWS or Google Cloud for scaling experiments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"where-do-ai-research-scientists-work\"><\/span><strong>Where Do<\/strong> <strong>AI Research Scientists<\/strong> <strong>Work?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AI research scientists<\/strong> work across a mix of global labs, GCCs, startups, and academia:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Global AI labs: Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta FAIR, Microsoft Research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India-based research teams: Google India, Microsoft Research India, Amazon Science, Adobe Research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AI-first startups building foundation models or applied research products<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Academic and government research institutes, including IITs and IISc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n\n <!-- Source Sans Pro (topics font) -->\n <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Source+Sans+3:wght@400;600;700&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.css\">\n <script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.js\"><\/script>\n\n <style>\n :root {\n \/* topics design tokens (variables.scss) *\/\n --scaler-primary: #005bb3; \/* primary-color-80 *\/\n --scaler-primary-30: #8acaff; \/* primary-color-30 *\/\n --scaler-brand-blue: #255aad;\n --scaler-live: #ee001d; \/* accent-v5-60 *\/\n --scaler-live-bg: #ffe6e9; \/* accent-v5-10 *\/\n --scaler-card-bg: #ffffff; \/* neutral-scale-0 *\/\n --scaler-surface: #f4f6f9; \/* neutral-scale-2 *\/\n --scaler-text-primary: #1a2c47; \/* neutral-scale-12 *\/\n --scaler-text-secondary: #61738e; \/* neutral-scale-9 *\/\n --scaler-border: #d6dee5; \/* 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border-radius: 4px;\n }\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__title { min-height: 44px; }\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__speaker { min-height: 16px; }\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__meta { min-height: 24px; }\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__cta { min-height: 40px; }\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__image,\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__img-footer,\n .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__live-badge { display: none; }\n\n @keyframes shimmer {\n 0% { background-position: 200% 0; }\n 100% { background-position: -200% 0; }\n }\n\n .scaler-events-empty {\n text-align: center;\n padding: 40px 20px;\n color: var(--scaler-text-secondary);\n font-size: 15px;\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 768px) {\n .scaler-events-carousel { padding: 16px; }\n .scaler-event-swiper .swiper-slide { width: calc(100vw - 52px); }\n .scaler-events-nav__btn { display: none; }\n }\n <\/style>\n\n\n\n <div class=\"scaler-events-carousel js-scaler-carousel\">\n\n <template class=\"js-event-card-template\">\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <article class=\"scaler-event-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__header\">\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__image-wrapper\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"scaler-event-card__image\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__img-footer\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M11.199 7.957c-3.086 0-5.588 2.502-5.588 5.588s2.502 5.588 5.588 5.588c3.086 0 5.588-2.502 5.588-5.588s-2.502-5.588-5.588-5.588zM3.611 13.545c0-4.191 3.397-7.588 7.588-7.588s7.588 3.397 7.588 7.588c0 4.191-3.397 7.588-7.588 7.588s-7.588-3.397-7.588-7.588z\"\/><path d=\"M21.090 6.369h0.003c1.989 0 3.897 0.79 5.303 2.197s2.197 3.314 2.197 5.303-0.79 3.897-2.197 5.303c-1.406 1.407-3.314 2.197-5.303 2.197-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1s0.448-1 1-1c1.459 0 2.858-0.579 3.889-1.611s1.611-2.43 1.611-3.889c0-1.459-0.58-2.858-1.611-3.889s-2.429-1.611-3.888-1.611c-0.507 0.002-1.013 0.070-1.502 0.203-0.533 0.145-1.082-0.17-1.227-0.703s0.17-1.082 0.703-1.227c0.659-0.179 1.339-0.27 2.021-0.272z\"\/><path d=\"M10.906 21.364c-1.605 0-3.186 0.386-4.61 1.126s-2.649 1.811-3.572 3.124c-0.318 0.452-0.941 0.561-1.393 0.243s-0.561-0.941-0.243-1.393c1.107-1.576 2.577-2.862 4.286-3.749s3.606-1.351 5.532-1.351 3.823 0.463 5.532 1.351c1.709 0.888 3.179 2.174 4.286 3.749 0.318 0.452 0.209 1.076-0.243 1.393s-1.076 0.209-1.393-0.243c-0.923-1.313-2.148-2.385-3.572-3.124s-3.005-1.126-4.61-1.126z\"\/><\/svg>\n <span class=\"js-event-count\"><\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__live-badge\" style=\"display: none;\">Live<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__text\">\n <h3 class=\"scaler-event-card__title\"><\/h3>\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__speaker js-event-speaker\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__takeaways js-event-takeaways\"><\/div>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__spacer\"><\/div>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-event-card__meta\">\n <span class=\"js-event-date\"><\/span>\n <span class=\"scaler-event-card__duration\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M16 6.333c6.443 0 11.667 5.223 11.667 11.667s-5.223 11.667-11.667 11.667c-6.443 0-11.667-5.223-11.667-11.667v0c0.008-6.44 5.226-11.659 11.666-11.667h0.001zM16 28.333c5.707 0 10.333-4.626 10.333-10.333s-4.626-10.333-10.333-10.333c-5.707 0-10.333 4.626-10.333 10.333v0c0.007 5.704 4.629 10.326 10.333 10.333h0.001z\"\/><path d=\"M16 18.667c-0 0-0.001 0-0.001 0-0.184 0-0.35-0.074-0.471-0.195v0c-0.121-0.121-0.195-0.287-0.195-0.471s0.075-0.351 0.195-0.471l4.951-4.952c0.121-0.121 0.287-0.195 0.471-0.195s0.351 0.075 0.471 0.195v0c0.121 0.121 0.195 0.287 0.195 0.471s-0.075 0.351-0.195 0.471l-4.949 4.951c-0.121 0.121-0.288 0.196-0.472 0.196v0z\"\/><path d=\"M19 3.667h-6c-0.368 0-0.667-0.298-0.667-0.667v0c0-0.368 0.298-0.667 0.667-0.667v0h6c0.368 0 0.667 0.298 0.667 0.667v0c0 0.368-0.298 0.667-0.667 0.667v0z\"\/><\/svg>\n <span class=\"js-event-duration\"><\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n <a href=\"#\" class=\"scaler-event-card__cta js-event-cta\">Register with 1-Click<\/a>\n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/template>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-events-carousel__inner\">\n <header class=\"scaler-events-header\">\n <span class=\"scaler-events-header__icon\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 33 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M6.406 6.8c-0.11 0-0.2 0.090-0.2 0.2v20c0 0.11 0.090 0.2 0.2 0.2h20c0.11 0 0.2-0.090 0.2-0.2v-20c0-0.11-0.090-0.2-0.2-0.2h-20zM4.606 7c0-0.994 0.806-1.8 1.8-1.8h20c0.994 0 1.8 0.806 1.8 1.8v20c0 0.994-0.806 1.8-1.8 1.8h-20c-0.994 0-1.8-0.806-1.8-1.8v-20z\"\/><path d=\"M22.406 3.2c0.442 0 0.8 0.358 0.8 0.8v4c0 0.442-0.358 0.8-0.8 0.8s-0.8-0.358-0.8-0.8v-4c0-0.442 0.358-0.8 0.8-0.8z\"\/><path d=\"M10.406 3.2c0.442 0 0.8 0.358 0.8 0.8v4c0 0.442-0.358 0.8-0.8 0.8s-0.8-0.358-0.8-0.8v-4c0-0.442 0.358-0.8 0.8-0.8z\"\/><path d=\"M4.606 12c0-0.442 0.358-0.8 0.8-0.8h22c0.442 0 0.8 0.358 0.8 0.8s-0.358 0.8-0.8 0.8h-22c-0.442 0-0.8-0.358-0.8-0.8z\"\/><path d=\"M21.488 16.451c0.303 0.322 0.288 0.828-0.034 1.131l-5.838 5.5c-0.309 0.291-0.791 0.29-1.099-0.002l-3.162-3c-0.321-0.304-0.334-0.81-0.030-1.131s0.81-0.334 1.131-0.030l2.614 2.48 5.287-4.981c0.322-0.303 0.828-0.288 1.131 0.034z\"\/><\/svg>\n <\/span>\n <h2 class=\"scaler-events-header__title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"live-masterclasses\"><\/span>Live Masterclasses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n <\/header>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-events-swiper-wrap\">\n <div class=\"swiper scaler-event-swiper\">\n <div class=\"swiper-wrapper scaler-events-wrapper\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"swiper-pagination scaler-events-pagination\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <button class=\"scaler-events-nav__btn scaler-nav-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous slide\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"transform: rotate(-90deg);\"><path d=\"M5.313 16l10.688-10.688 10.688 10.688-1.938 1.875-7.438-7.438v16.25h-2.625v-16.25l-7.5 7.438z\"\/><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <button class=\"scaler-events-nav__btn scaler-nav-next\" aria-label=\"Next slide\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"transform: rotate(90deg);\"><path d=\"M5.313 16l10.688-10.688 10.688 10.688-1.938 1.875-7.438-7.438v16.25h-2.625v-16.25l-7.5 7.438z\"\/><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n\n <a class=\"scaler-events-viewall\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/events\/\">\n <span>View All Events<\/span>\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"transform: rotate(90deg);\"><path d=\"M5.313 16l10.688-10.688 10.688 10.688-1.938 1.875-7.438-7.438v16.25h-2.625v-16.25l-7.5 7.438z\"\/><\/svg>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <script>\n document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", () => {\n\n const monthNames = [\"January\",\"February\",\"March\",\"April\",\"May\",\"June\",\"July\",\"August\",\"September\",\"October\",\"November\",\"December\"];\n\n function formatTime(st) {\n const t = new Date(st);\n const date = t.getDate();\n const month = monthNames[t.getMonth()];\n const year = t.getFullYear();\n const h = t.getHours();\n const m = String(t.getMinutes()).padStart(2, \"0\");\n let time;\n if (h === 0) time = `12:${m} AM`;\n else if (h === 12) time = `12:${m} PM`;\n else if (h > 12) time = `${h - 12}:${m} PM`;\n else time = `${h}:${m} AM`;\n return `${date} ${month} ${year} | ${time}`;\n }\n\n const carouselInstances = document.querySelectorAll('.js-scaler-carousel');\n\n carouselInstances.forEach(container => {\n\n if(container.dataset.initialized === \"true\") return;\n container.dataset.initialized = \"true\";\n\n const swiperElement = container.querySelector(\".scaler-event-swiper\");\n const swiperWrapper = container.querySelector(\".scaler-events-wrapper\");\n const template = container.querySelector(\".js-event-card-template\");\n const nextBtn = container.querySelector(\".scaler-nav-next\");\n const prevBtn = container.querySelector(\".scaler-nav-prev\");\n const paginationEl = container.querySelector(\".scaler-events-pagination\");\n\n if (!swiperWrapper || !template) {\n console.error(\"Scaler Carousel: Missing required elements inside container\");\n return;\n }\n\n const swiper = new Swiper(swiperElement, {\n slidesPerView: \"auto\",\n spaceBetween: 16,\n grabCursor: true,\n observer: true,\n observeParents: true,\n pagination: {\n el: paginationEl,\n clickable: true,\n dynamicBullets: true\n },\n navigation: {\n nextEl: nextBtn,\n prevEl: prevBtn\n },\n });\n\n function showSkeletons(count = 4) {\n swiperWrapper.innerHTML = \"\";\n for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {\n const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true);\n const card = clone.querySelector(\".scaler-event-card\");\n card.classList.add(\"scaler-event-card--skeleton\");\n swiperWrapper.appendChild(clone);\n }\n swiper.update();\n }\n\n function renderEvents(events) {\n swiperWrapper.innerHTML = \"\";\n\n if (events.length === 0) {\n swiperWrapper.innerHTML = `<div class=\"scaler-events-empty\">No upcoming masterclasses found.<\/div>`;\n return;\n }\n\n const pathParts = location.pathname.split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean);\n const currentSlug = pathParts.length > 0 ? pathParts[pathParts.length - 1] : \"homepage\";\n\n events.forEach(event => {\n const attr = event.attributes;\n const cd = attr.custom_data || {};\n const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true);\n const joinUrl = `\/event\/${attr.slug}\/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=master_class&utm_content=${currentSlug}`;\n\n \/\/ Instructor headshot\n const instructor = (cd.instructors && cd.instructors[0]) || {};\n const img = clone.querySelector(\".scaler-event-card__image\");\n img.src = instructor.media_url || attr.image_url ||\n \"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1531891437562-4301cf35b7e4?w=200&h=200&fit=crop\";\n img.alt = instructor.name || attr.instructor_name || attr.title;\n\n \/\/ Title + speaker\n clone.querySelector(\".scaler-event-card__title\").textContent = attr.title;\n clone.querySelector(\".js-event-speaker\").textContent = instructor.name || attr.instructor_name || \"\";\n\n \/\/ Live chip vs attendee count\n const isLive = attr.status === \"current\";\n const footer = clone.querySelector(\".scaler-event-card__img-footer\");\n const liveBadge = clone.querySelector(\".scaler-event-card__live-badge\");\n if (isLive) {\n footer.style.display = \"none\";\n liveBadge.style.display = \"flex\";\n liveBadge.textContent = \"Live\";\n } else if (attr.registration_count) {\n clone.querySelector(\".js-event-count\").textContent = attr.registration_count;\n } else {\n footer.style.display = \"none\";\n }\n\n \/\/ Takeaways (up to 2, Know More on the last)\n const takeaways = (cd.takeaways || []).slice(0, 2);\n const listEl = clone.querySelector(\".js-event-takeaways\");\n listEl.innerHTML = \"\";\n takeaways.forEach((t, idx) => {\n const item = document.createElement(\"div\");\n item.className = \"scaler-event-card__takeaway-item\";\n const dot = document.createElement(\"span\");\n dot.className = \"scaler-event-card__dot\";\n const txt = document.createElement(\"span\");\n txt.className = \"scaler-event-card__takeaway-text\";\n txt.textContent = t;\n item.appendChild(dot);\n item.appendChild(txt);\n if (idx === takeaways.length - 1) {\n const km = document.createElement(\"a\");\n km.className = \"scaler-event-card__knowmore\";\n km.textContent = \"Know More\";\n km.href = joinUrl;\n item.appendChild(km);\n }\n listEl.appendChild(item);\n });\n\n \/\/ Date + duration\n clone.querySelector(\".js-event-date\").textContent = formatTime(attr.start_time);\n let hrs = \"\";\n if (attr.duration) {\n hrs = (attr.duration \/ 60).toFixed(2);\n } else if (attr.end_time) {\n hrs = (Math.abs(new Date(attr.start_time) - new Date(attr.end_time)) \/ 3600000).toFixed(2);\n }\n clone.querySelector(\".js-event-duration\").textContent = hrs ? `${hrs} Hrs` : \"\";\n\n \/\/ CTA\n clone.querySelector(\".js-event-cta\").href = joinUrl;\n\n swiperWrapper.appendChild(clone);\n });\n\n swiper.update();\n swiper.slideTo(0);\n }\n\n async function fetchEvents() {\n try {\n showSkeletons();\n const res = await fetch(\n \"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/api\/v4\/events?event_type[]=company&distributor=scaler&type=upcoming&serializer_mode=L2&limit=8&program[]=software_development&program[]=data_science&program[]=devops&program[]=ai_ml\"\n );\n const json = await res.json();\n const events = json.data || [];\n renderEvents(events);\n } catch (error) {\n console.error(\"Failed to load events:\", error);\n if(swiperWrapper) swiperWrapper.innerHTML = `<div class=\"scaler-events-empty\">Failed to load events.<\/div>`;\n }\n }\n\n fetchEvents();\n });\n });\n <\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-scaler-can-help-you-build-toward-an-ai-research-scientist-career\"><\/span><strong>How Scaler Can Help You Build Toward an<\/strong> <strong>AI Research Scientist<\/strong> <strong>Career<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people don’t jump straight into becoming an <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong>; they build applied AI and machine learning skills first, then move deeper into research over a few years. If you’re starting that journey and want structured mentorship, hands-on projects, and a curriculum built around real deep learning and AI engineering work, Scaler’s AI & ML program can help you build the practical foundation this path depends on, before you decide whether to pursue an advanced research degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Want to build the AI and machine learning foundation needed for a research-focused career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scaler\u2019s AI & Machine Learning With Agentic AI program covers Python, mathematics for ML, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and NLP through hands-on projects and mentorship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-machine-learning-course\/\">Explore Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n\n <!-- Source Sans Pro (topics font) -->\n <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Source+Sans+3:wght@400;600;700&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.css\">\n <script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.js\"><\/script>\n\n <style>\n :root {\n --ss-primary: #005bb3; \/* primary-color-80 *\/\n --ss-card-bg: #ffffff;\n --ss-border: #e6e6e6;\n --ss-quote-bg: #f6f6f6;\n --ss-text-dark: #1c1c1c;\n --ss-text-mid: #6b6b6b;\n --ss-text-muted: #9a9a9a;\n --ss-radius: 12px;\n --ss-radius-sm: 8px;\n --ss-shadow: 0 8px 16px 0 rgba(50, 71, 102, 0.16);\n }\n\n .scaler-ss * { box-sizing: border-box; }\n\n .scaler-ss {\n font-family: \"Source Sans 3\", \"Source Sans Pro\", \"Roboto\", Arial, sans-serif;\n padding: 24px;\n width: 100%;\n }\n .scaler-ss__inner {\n max-width: 1000px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n position: relative;\n width: 100%;\n }\n\n \/* Heading *\/\n .scaler-ss__heading {\n font-size: 26px;\n line-height: 34px;\n font-weight: 700;\n margin: 0 0 16px;\n text-align: center;\n color: var(--ss-text-dark);\n }\n\n \/* Swiper *\/\n .scaler-ss__swiper-wrap { position: relative; }\n .scaler-ss .swiper { width: 100%; padding: 4px; }\n .scaler-ss-swiper .swiper-slide {\n width: 300px; \/* topics card width *\/\n height: auto;\n display: flex;\n }\n\n \/* Card *\/\n .scaler-ss-card {\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n width: 100%;\n border: 1px solid var(--ss-border);\n border-radius: var(--ss-radius);\n overflow: hidden;\n background: var(--ss-card-bg);\n }\n\n .scaler-ss-card__hike {\n padding: 8px 12px;\n background: var(--ss-primary);\n color: #ffffff;\n font-size: 14px;\n font-weight: 700;\n text-align: center;\n letter-spacing: 0.4px;\n }\n\n .scaler-ss-card__body {\n display: flex;\n flex: 1 1 auto;\n flex-direction: column;\n gap: 12px;\n padding: 16px;\n }\n\n \/* Person *\/\n .scaler-ss-card__person {\n display: flex;\n align-items: center;\n gap: 10px;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__avatar {\n width: 44px;\n height: 44px;\n min-width: 44px;\n border-radius: 50%;\n object-fit: cover;\n background: var(--ss-quote-bg);\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__name {\n font-size: 16px;\n font-weight: 700;\n line-height: 20px;\n color: var(--ss-text-dark);\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__city {\n font-size: 13px;\n line-height: 18px;\n color: var(--ss-text-mid);\n }\n\n \/* Before \/ Now transition *\/\n .scaler-ss-card__transition {\n display: flex;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: space-between;\n gap: 8px;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__col {\n flex: 1;\n min-width: 0;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__col-label {\n font-size: 11px;\n font-weight: 600;\n letter-spacing: 0.4px;\n color: var(--ss-text-muted);\n margin-bottom: 2px;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__col-role {\n font-size: 13px;\n line-height: 18px;\n color: var(--ss-text-mid);\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__col-company {\n font-size: 14px;\n font-weight: 700;\n line-height: 20px;\n color: var(--ss-text-dark);\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__company-logo {\n margin-top: 2px;\n max-width: 64px;\n max-height: 20px;\n width: auto;\n height: auto;\n object-fit: contain;\n display: block;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__arrow {\n flex-shrink: 0;\n width: 28px;\n height: 8px;\n color: var(--ss-text-mid);\n fill: currentColor;\n }\n\n \/* Quote *\/\n .scaler-ss-card__quote {\n font-size: 13px;\n font-style: italic;\n line-height: 19px;\n color: var(--ss-text-mid);\n background: var(--ss-quote-bg);\n border-radius: var(--ss-radius-sm);\n padding: 8px 10px;\n }\n\n \/* View Profile *\/\n .scaler-ss-card__cta,\n .scaler-ss-card__cta:link,\n .scaler-ss-card__cta:visited {\n display: block;\n margin-top: auto;\n text-align: center;\n font-size: 14px;\n font-weight: 600;\n color: var(--ss-primary) !important;\n text-decoration: none;\n border: 1px solid var(--ss-primary);\n border-radius: var(--ss-radius-sm);\n padding: 9px 12px;\n cursor: pointer;\n transition: background 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card__cta:hover,\n .scaler-ss-card__cta:focus {\n background: var(--ss-primary);\n color: #ffffff !important;\n }\n\n \/* Side navigation arrows *\/\n .scaler-ss__nav {\n position: absolute !important;\n top: 50% !important;\n transform: translateY(-50%) !important;\n z-index: 2;\n width: 46px !important;\n height: 46px !important;\n min-width: 46px;\n display: flex !important;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: center;\n padding: 0 !important;\n background: var(--ss-card-bg) !important;\n border: none !important;\n border-radius: var(--ss-radius-sm) !important;\n box-shadow: var(--ss-shadow) !important;\n color: #61738e !important;\n cursor: pointer;\n transition: opacity 0.2s ease, visibility 0.2s ease;\n }\n .scaler-ss__nav--prev { left: 8px !important; }\n .scaler-ss__nav--next { right: 8px !important; }\n .scaler-ss__nav svg {\n width: 20px !important;\n height: 20px !important;\n fill: #61738e !important;\n }\n .scaler-ss__nav.swiper-button-disabled {\n opacity: 0;\n visibility: hidden;\n pointer-events: none;\n }\n\n .scaler-ss .swiper-button-prev,\n .scaler-ss .swiper-button-next,\n .scaler-ss .swiper-pagination { display: none; }\n\n \/* Skeleton *\/\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton { pointer-events: none; }\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__hike,\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__avatar,\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__person-text,\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__transition,\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__quote,\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__cta {\n background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--ss-border) 25%, var(--ss-quote-bg) 50%, var(--ss-border) 75%);\n background-size: 200% 100%;\n animation: ss-shimmer 1.5s infinite;\n color: transparent !important;\n border-color: transparent !important;\n border-radius: 4px;\n }\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__person-text { flex: 1; height: 32px; }\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__transition { height: 56px; }\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__quote { height: 48px; }\n .scaler-ss-card--skeleton .scaler-ss-card__cta { height: 38px; }\n\n @keyframes ss-shimmer {\n 0% { background-position: 200% 0; }\n 100% { background-position: -200% 0; }\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 768px) {\n .scaler-ss { padding: 16px; }\n .scaler-ss__heading { font-size: 22px; line-height: 30px; }\n .scaler-ss-swiper .swiper-slide { width: 270px; }\n .scaler-ss__nav { display: none !important; }\n }\n <\/style>\n\n\n\n <div class=\"scaler-ss js-scaler-ss\">\n\n <template class=\"js-ss-card-template\">\n <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n <article class=\"scaler-ss-card\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__hike js-ss-hike\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__body\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__person\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-ss-card__avatar js-ss-avatar\" src=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__person-text\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__name js-ss-name\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__city js-ss-city\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__transition\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col-label\">BEFORE:<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col-role js-ss-before-role\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col-company js-ss-before-company\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <svg class=\"scaler-ss-card__arrow\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 8\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M31.3882 4.35355C31.5835 4.15829 31.5835 3.84171 31.3882 3.64645L28.2062 0.464466C28.011 0.269204 27.6944 0.269204 27.4991 0.464466C27.3039 0.659728 27.3039 0.976311 27.4991 1.17157L30.3276 4L27.4991 6.82843C27.3039 7.02369 27.3039 7.34027 27.4991 7.53553C27.6944 7.7308 28.011 7.7308 28.2062 7.53553L31.3882 4.35355ZM0.034668 4.5H31.0347V3.5H0.034668V4.5Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col\">\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col-label\">NOW:<\/div>\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__col-role js-ss-now-role\"><\/div>\n <div class=\"js-ss-now-company\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-ss-card__quote js-ss-quote\"><\/div>\n\n <a class=\"scaler-ss-card__cta js-ss-cta\" href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View Profile<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/template>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-ss__inner\">\n <h2 class=\"scaler-ss__heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"scaler-alumni-and-their-success-stories\"><\/span>Scaler Alumni and Their Success Stories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n <div class=\"scaler-ss__swiper-wrap\">\n <div class=\"swiper scaler-ss-swiper\">\n <div class=\"swiper-wrapper js-ss-wrapper\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <button class=\"scaler-ss__nav scaler-ss__nav--prev js-ss-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"transform: rotate(-90deg);\"><path d=\"M5.313 16l10.688-10.688 10.688 10.688-1.938 1.875-7.438-7.438v16.25h-2.625v-16.25l-7.5 7.438z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <button class=\"scaler-ss__nav scaler-ss__nav--next js-ss-next\" aria-label=\"Next\">\n <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"transform: rotate(90deg);\"><path d=\"M5.313 16l10.688-10.688 10.688 10.688-1.938 1.875-7.438-7.438v16.25h-2.625v-16.25l-7.5 7.438z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <script>\n document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", () => {\n\n const ASSET_CDN = \"https:\/\/d2beiqkhq929f0.cloudfront.net\/public_assets\/assets\";\n const AVATAR_FALLBACK =\n \"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' width='44' height='44' viewBox='0 0 44 44'%3E%3Ccircle cx='22' cy='22' r='22' fill='%23e6e6e6'\/%3E%3Ccircle cx='22' cy='17' r='7' fill='%23b9b9b9'\/%3E%3Cpath d='M8 40c0-8 6.3-13 14-13s14 5 14 13' fill='%23b9b9b9'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\";\n\n \/\/ Mirrors buildAssetUrl(): pass through absolute urls, else build the CDN url.\n function buildAssetUrl(raw) {\n if (!raw) return \"\";\n if (String(raw).startsWith(\"http\")) return raw;\n return `${ASSET_CDN}\/${raw}\/original`;\n }\n\n const instances = document.querySelectorAll(\".js-scaler-ss\");\n\n instances.forEach(container => {\n if (container.dataset.initialized === \"true\") return;\n container.dataset.initialized = \"true\";\n\n const swiperElement = container.querySelector(\".scaler-ss-swiper\");\n const wrapper = container.querySelector(\".js-ss-wrapper\");\n const template = container.querySelector(\".js-ss-card-template\");\n const nextBtn = container.querySelector(\".js-ss-next\");\n const prevBtn = container.querySelector(\".js-ss-prev\");\n\n if (!wrapper || !template) {\n console.error(\"Scaler Success Stories: missing required elements\");\n return;\n }\n\n const swiper = new Swiper(swiperElement, {\n slidesPerView: \"auto\",\n spaceBetween: 16,\n grabCursor: true,\n observer: true,\n observeParents: true,\n navigation: { nextEl: nextBtn, prevEl: prevBtn },\n });\n\n const pathParts = location.pathname.split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean);\n const currentSlug = pathParts.length > 0 ? pathParts[pathParts.length - 1] : \"homepage\";\n const profileUrl =\n `https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/review\/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=success_stories&utm_content=${currentSlug}`;\n\n function showSkeletons(count = 4) {\n wrapper.innerHTML = \"\";\n for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {\n const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true);\n clone.querySelector(\".scaler-ss-card\").classList.add(\"scaler-ss-card--skeleton\");\n wrapper.appendChild(clone);\n }\n swiper.update();\n }\n\n function renderStories(stories) {\n wrapper.innerHTML = \"\";\n if (!stories.length) {\n container.style.display = \"none\"; \/\/ match topics: render nothing when empty\n return;\n }\n\n stories.forEach(story => {\n const a = story.attributes || {};\n const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true);\n\n const hike = String(a.growth || \"\").replace(\"%\", \"\").trim() || \"150\";\n clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-hike\").textContent = `${hike}% HIKE`;\n\n \/\/ Avatar\n const avatar = buildAssetUrl(a.image_url) || a.generated_thumbnail_url || \"\";\n const img = clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-avatar\");\n img.src = avatar || AVATAR_FALLBACK;\n img.alt = a.name || \"Scaler alumnus\";\n img.onerror = function () { this.onerror = null; this.src = AVATAR_FALLBACK; };\n\n clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-name\").textContent = a.name || \"\";\n const cityEl = clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-city\");\n if (a.city) cityEl.textContent = a.city; else cityEl.style.display = \"none\";\n\n \/\/ BEFORE\n clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-before-role\").textContent = a.pre_scaler_role || a.pre_academy_company || \"\";\n const beforeCompany = clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-before-company\");\n if (a.pre_academy_company) beforeCompany.textContent = a.pre_academy_company;\n else beforeCompany.style.display = \"none\";\n\n \/\/ NOW\n clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-now-role\").textContent = a.role || \"\";\n const nowCompanyBox = clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-now-company\");\n const companyLogo = buildAssetUrl(a.company_logo_url);\n if (companyLogo) {\n const logo = document.createElement(\"img\");\n logo.className = \"scaler-ss-card__company-logo\";\n logo.src = companyLogo;\n logo.alt = a.post_academy_company || \"company\";\n logo.loading = \"lazy\";\n logo.onerror = function () {\n this.onerror = null;\n this.replaceWith(Object.assign(document.createElement(\"div\"), {\n className: \"scaler-ss-card__col-company\",\n textContent: a.post_academy_company || \"\",\n }));\n };\n nowCompanyBox.appendChild(logo);\n } else if (a.post_academy_company) {\n nowCompanyBox.className = \"scaler-ss-card__col-company\";\n nowCompanyBox.textContent = a.post_academy_company;\n }\n\n \/\/ Quote (clip to 110 chars like topics)\n const quoteEl = clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-quote\");\n quoteEl.textContent = `\u201c${String(a.content).slice(0, 110)}\u2026\u201d`;\n\n \/\/ View Profile\n clone.querySelector(\".js-ss-cta\").href = profileUrl;\n\n wrapper.appendChild(clone);\n });\n\n swiper.update();\n swiper.slideTo(0);\n }\n\n async function fetchStories() {\n try {\n showSkeletons();\n \/\/ Same-origin POST on www.scaler.com (the blog canonical host).\n \/\/ The endpoint only returns JSON when the Referer is a \/topics\/ page\n \/\/ (a soft anti-hotlinking gate); a \/blog\/ referer gets a Turbolinks\n \/\/ redirect. Since blog + topics are the same origin, we set the\n \/\/ fetch referrer to a topics URL so the server serves the data.\n const res = await fetch(\"\/success-stories\/testimonials\", {\n method: \"POST\",\n credentials: \"include\",\n referrer: \"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/topics\/\",\n referrerPolicy: \"unsafe-url\",\n headers: {\n \"Content-Type\": \"application\/json\",\n \"Accept\": \"application\/json\",\n \"X-Requested-With\": \"XMLHttpRequest\",\n },\n \/\/ q:{} => all programs (no program filter)\n body: JSON.stringify({\n page_number: 1,\n per_page: 12,\n sort_by: \"eligible_for_qna\",\n new_quick_filters: true,\n quick_filter: [],\n q: {},\n }),\n });\n const json = await res.json();\n const all = (json && json.data && json.data.data) || [];\n \/\/ Only show stories that carry a testimonial quote (matches topics).\n const withQuote = all.filter(s => s.attributes && s.attributes.content);\n renderStories(withQuote);\n } catch (error) {\n console.error(\"Failed to load success stories:\", error);\n container.style.display = \"none\";\n }\n }\n\n fetchStories();\n });\n });\n <\/script>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is<\/strong> <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> <strong>a good career choice in 2026?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, demand for <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> talent keeps growing as companies invest heavily in advanced AI systems and foundation models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to become an AI research scientist<\/strong> <strong>without a PhD?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Build a strong project portfolio, contribute to open-source ML research, and target research-engineer roles that value proven work over formal credentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is the<\/strong> <strong>AI research scientist salary<\/strong> <strong>for freshers in India?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Entry-level <strong>AI research scientist salary<\/strong> in India typically falls between \u20b912-25 LPA, depending on the employer and specialization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to be an AI scientist<\/strong> <strong>without a computer science degree?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s possible with a strong math, physics, or statistics background plus self-taught programming and ML skills, though a CS-related degree still helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How long does it take to become an<\/strong> <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically 6-9 years in total: a 4-year bachelor’s plus a 2-5 year master’s or PhD, though strong project work can shorten some paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is the difference between an<\/strong> <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> <strong>and a machine learning engineer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An <strong>AI research scientist<\/strong> focuses on inventing new methods and publishing findings, while an ML engineer focuses on deploying and scaling existing models in production.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you’re more interested in asking why a model works than just using it off the shelf, a career as an AI research scientist might be the right fit for you. Unlike most applied AI or machine learning roles, which focus on deploying existing models into products, an AI research scientist designs new algorithms, tests […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":242,"featured_media":14601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,316],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-artificial-intelligence-machine-learning","category-artificial-intelligence"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/242"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14593"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14602,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14593\/revisions\/14602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}