Role taxonomy

10 AI-era roles. One of them is yours.

Every RKS result maps to one of these role families. Each comes with its own skills, tools, beginner and advanced projects, CV language, and ways to earn from it.

Find your role

AI Operator

Runs the AI tools that power day-to-day work

AI Operators are the hands-on users of AI tools inside a team — running workflows, checking outputs, and keeping AI-assisted processes reliable day to day.

Skills

AI tool fluency
Prompt iteration
Quality checking AI output
Basic workflow automation
Documentation

Tools

ChatGPT / Claude
Zapier or Make
Google Workspace AI features
Notion AI

First project

Set up an AI-assisted email triage workflow for your inbox

Earning path

Offer AI workflow setup for local service businesses: FAQ automation, lead intake, appointment follow-up, review-response drafting

AI Workflow Builder

Designs the automations that connect tools and tasks

AI Workflow Builders design the connective tissue between tools — chaining AI steps with automations so work moves without manual handoffs.

Skills

Automation platforms
API basics
Process mapping
AI prompt chaining
Testing & debugging workflows

Tools

Make / Zapier / n8n
Airtable
OpenAI / Groq APIs
Webhooks

First project

Automate a 3-step manual task (e.g. form submission to spreadsheet to email) end-to-end

Earning path

Freelance automation builds for small businesses (Zapier/Make + AI steps)

AI Research Analyst

Turns information into decisions, faster

AI Research Analysts use AI to gather, summarize, and structure information — turning scattered sources into clear, decision-ready insight.

Skills

Research synthesis
AI-assisted summarization
Data structuring
Source evaluation
Reporting

Tools

Perplexity / Claude / ChatGPT
Google Sheets
Notion
Basic SQL (optional)

First project

Build a weekly AI-assisted research brief on a topic relevant to your work

Earning path

Freelance market research assistant for founders and small teams

AI Product Strategist

Decides where AI actually improves the product

AI Product Strategists evaluate where AI genuinely improves a product or service — and where it's just theater — then shape the roadmap accordingly.

Skills

Product thinking
AI capability mapping
Prioritization
Stakeholder communication
Roadmapping

Tools

Notion / Linear
ChatGPT / Claude for ideation
Figma (basic)
Analytics tools

First project

Write an AI-feature evaluation for one feature in a product you use, including risks

Earning path

AI strategy consulting for small product teams

AI Automation Consultant

Helps other businesses adopt AI safely and profitably

AI Automation Consultants work with small businesses and teams to identify, build, and roll out AI-assisted automations — balancing speed with safety.

Skills

Client discovery
Workflow audits
Automation builds
Change management
Training & handoff

Tools

Zapier / Make
ChatGPT / Claude
Loom for training
Basic CRM tools

First project

Run a free AI-readiness audit for one small business you know, and document 3 opportunities

Earning path

Service packages: AI-readiness audit ($500-$2,000), implementation sprints ($1,500-$5,000)

AI Content Systems Designer

Builds repeatable content engines, not one-off posts

AI Content Systems Designers build repeatable systems for producing on-brand content at scale — templates, prompts, and review workflows, not just prompts.

Skills

Brand voice systems
Prompt templates
Content calendars
AI image/video tools
Editing & QA

Tools

ChatGPT / Claude
Canva / Midjourney
Notion
Scheduling tools (Buffer, Later)

First project

Build a brand voice prompt template and use it to produce one week of content

Earning path

Freelance content systems builds for small brands and creators

AI Governance Coordinator

Keeps AI adoption safe, ethical, and compliant

AI Governance Coordinators help organizations adopt AI responsibly — tracking usage, risks, policies, and ensuring AI use stays within ethical and legal bounds.

Skills

AI policy basics
Risk assessment
Documentation
Cross-team coordination
Compliance awareness

Tools

Notion / Confluence
ChatGPT / Claude (for research)
Spreadsheets for risk registers

First project

Draft a one-page 'acceptable AI use' policy for a small team

Earning path

AI governance consulting for small organizations and nonprofits

AI Data Assistant

Cleans, organizes, and explains data with AI

AI Data Assistants use AI to clean, organize, and explain data — making information usable for teams that don't have dedicated data analysts.

Skills

Spreadsheet mastery
AI-assisted data cleaning
Basic SQL
Data visualization
Reporting

Tools

Excel / Google Sheets + AI add-ons
ChatGPT / Claude for formulas
Looker Studio / simple BI tools

First project

Use AI to clean and de-duplicate a messy spreadsheet, documenting your process

Earning path

Freelance data cleanup and reporting support for small businesses

AI Customer Experience Builder

Designs AI-assisted support and service journeys

AI Customer Experience Builders design AI-assisted support and service journeys — chat flows, response drafts, and escalation paths that feel human.

Skills

Customer journey mapping
AI chat/response design
Tone & brand voice
Escalation design
QA of AI responses

Tools

Help desk tools (Zendesk, Intercom)
ChatGPT / Claude
Workflow builders

First project

Draft an AI-assisted FAQ response set for a small business's top 10 customer questions

Earning path

Freelance AI support workflow setup for e-commerce and service businesses

AI Business Systems Architect

Designs the AI-powered operating system for a business

AI Business Systems Architects design how an entire small business or team runs on AI — connecting sales, support, content, and operations into one system.

Skills

Systems thinking
Cross-functional automation
Tool selection
SOP design
Execution tracking

Tools

Automation platforms
CRM + project tools
AI APIs
Dashboards

First project

Map your business's (or a business you know's) core workflows and mark where AI could plug in

Earning path

Fractional 'AI operations lead' for small businesses and founders