Programming languages for AI that are relevant to learn in 2024

Artificial intelligence is a great career opportunity, because not only are the number of AI jobs skyrocketing, but there is also a demand for AI skills in many technical professions. To get started, you need to learn one of the popular programming languages. But which one is best for AI development? There are several popular programming languages for artificial intelligence. A good programming language for artificial intelligence should be easy to learn, easy to read, and easy to use. We take a look at the best programming languages for artificial intelligence and how you can get started today. 

Why Python?

For most programmers, the best programming language for artificial intelligence is Python. The other big competitors are Java, C++, and JavaScript, but Python is probably the best language for artificial intelligence development. Python is very flexible and offers many features that improve the quality of life and ease of use. You don't need to be a programmer to intuitively understand Python. This low threshold of entry is very important. In fact, many data scientists and analysts using artificial intelligence don't have programming skills. They are well integrated. Many AI frameworks, libraries, and platforms are already developed in Python and available as open source projects, so developers don't need to reinvent the wheel. These frameworks are well documented. Learning Python is much easier, with many videos, tutorials, and projects available online. For less popular languages, there may not be as many examples.

Simplicity and readability. Python has very readable and concise code, especially compared to languages like Java. Python can run on almost any platform, from Windows to Unix. Because it is an interpreted language, it does not require compilation. Also, Python has an extensive library for data visualization, which is important for artificial intelligence development. Data scientists can use libraries such as Matplotlib to create graphs. Many companies are hiring artificial intelligence programmers who use Python. According to Payscale, machine learning engineers proficient in Python will earn an average salary of 151 178 dollars in 2025. Python's biggest drawback is speed, as it is an interpreted language, but for AI and machine learning applications, fast development is often more important than pure performance.

Of course, other languages can be used for AI. In fact, any language can be used for AI programming, but some languages are easier to use than others. Let's take a look at some other languages that are well suited for AI programming. 

• Java: This is a popular general purpose language with a large community of programmers. Since it is a statically typed language, bugs are detected early and programs run fast. The disadvantage of Java is that it is cumbersome and difficult to learn. It has few high quality features and programmers have to do a lot of manual work.
• Julia: It is designed for efficient numerical computations and supports machine learning well. Julia is a relatively new language and does not have much community support. Learning this language can be challenging.
• Haskell: A functional programming language that emphasizes code correctness. While it can be used to develop artificial intelligence, it is most often used in education and research. Haskell can be a difficult language to learn and is a specialized language that can be very confusing.
• Lisp: Lisp has been used in artificial intelligence for many years and is known for its flexibility and symbolic logic, but is a difficult language to read and write and has a small community of programmers.
• R: A popular statistical programming language among computer scientists that integrates well with other languages and has many packages. It is ideal for artificial intelligence, which requires efficient data processing. R is slow to process data, has a complex learning curve, and has no support.
• JavaScript: A popular language for web development. Developers use JavaScript in machine learning libraries. JavaScript is more complex and harder to learn than Python and more difficult than other programming languages.
• C++: A fast and powerful language that is very popular among game developers. It is well supported, well documented, versatile and very powerful. C++ is difficult to learn and has many poor features. Programmers have to do a lot of manual work.

Conclusion

Suppose you know one of the above-mentioned AI programming languages. In that case, developing AI applications in one of these languages is easier than learning a new one. After all, the most appropriate AI language for you is also the easiest to learn. A good programmer can write artificial intelligence in almost any programming language. The only question is how complex the process will be. The best programming language for AI is Python. It is easy to learn and has a large community of programmers. Java is also a good choice, but it is more difficult to learn. If you are just starting to learn programming for AI, Python has many advantages. You can start developing real-world applications right away. On the other hand, if you are fluent in Java or C++, you can create great AI applications in these languages.