Job boards are filling with titles that would have read like science fiction a couple of years ago. Some are genuinely new disciplines, others are familiar work with a fresh AI coat of paint.
The serious ones
Forward deployed engineer, AI evaluation lead and AI governance specialist are real, well paid and growing. They reflect the practical work of making models useful, measuring whether they actually are, and keeping them within the rules.
The viral ones
Then there are the titles that spread because they are catchy: AI whisperer, head of AI agents, chief automation officer. Behind the buzz sits a real shift, as companies create senior roles to own AI strategy end to end.
With AI skills commanding a 56% pay premium, expect the title inflation to continue. The substance, rather than the label, is what will determine which of these roles last.
