Think the Strangest Tech Jobs Are Just Fixing Computers or Designing Apps? Think Again.

There are people who earn hefty salaries just by testing their sleep, chatting with AI all day, or even monitoring robot emotions. What you’ll read here might make you rethink your career path—or at least wonder if these jobs really exist—based on an interview with cybersecurity expert Eng. Hussam Al-Saffarini.

Robot Emotion Trainer

In the AI world, it’s not enough for robots to understand words—they must also feel emotions. Enter the Emotion Trainer, who acts out human feelings in front of robot cameras to teach the machine how to distinguish real anger from fake, or a warm smile from a cold social one.

• Why is this needed?
  Because AI is increasingly used in medicine, education, and care, it must be able to empathize. Misreading human emotions could cause robots to respond in harmful or inappropriate ways. An emotional robot will share your day, so it must tell the difference between tears of sadness and tears of joy.

Virtual Reality Dream Monitor

What happens in the human brain after hours immersed in virtual worlds is no small detail—it’s a full experience akin to dreaming. The Dream Monitor’s job isn’t just to “play” but to observe how these virtual worlds affect the subconscious mind, distinguishing sensory experience from reality.

• Why is this job important?
  Because companies need to measure the psychological impact of their digital worlds before releasing them. People may carry virtual images into real life, blurring the lines. Digital addiction can start when someone over-identifies with their virtual character, which poses dangers.

Ethical Behavior Programmer for AI

Teaching a robot to decide on its own can lead to surprises. This crucial programmer’s role is to embed ethical principles into AI systems, preventing biased, inhumane, or detached decisions.

• Why is this challenging?
  Because machines learn from human data—and humans are biased, flawed, and changeable. Robots might have to make critical decisions, like in self-driving cars, medical diagnoses, or life-saving actions. An AI’s ethical mistake can’t be punished—but the programmer is accountable.

Digital Character Designer for Human Companions

With real human relationships declining, a new job has emerged: designing virtual characters to be friends or partners. This designer doesn’t just write scripts but creates full personalities—name, backstory, speech style, humor, even music taste.

• Why is this happening?
  Because some prefer talking to virtual beings who don’t judge or hurt them. These characters learn users deeply and adapt to their emotional shifts. AI companions might become permanent pocket pals—would you keep yours forever?

These roles may sound strange but highlight how technology is weaving deeper into our emotional and social lives, creating surprising and novel career paths in the digital age. Would you want one of these jobs?