Assuming you are good with a non-research role, then yes.

Easiest way to get into that work, in my opinion, would be to take a data engineering job on a team that has an AI/ML capacity and then start learning from that team and taking on some of the AI/ML tasks directly. Alternatively, you could take a role at a smaller business that needs a generalist but also wants to invest in AI/ML (though in this case you will be more on your own to self-learn and it won't work quite as well for stepping stone into a more pure AI/ML role).