You can't seriously believe that a degree in CS, let alone a higher degree such as a PhD, is required for any of those things, do you? Unless you're working in theoretical areas of CS, or want to check off the PhD requirement for one of the big tech companies, then that sounds extremely pompous.
Why wouldn't I? For ML, without an advanced degree, you are seriously disadvantaged from the very beginning. That is my first hand experience. For those areas I listed, it is not adequate to contribute much during the bachelor's. To edge towards the frontier, it simply will take more time.
For Machine Learning, provided you're actually working on the core algorithms, sure, a CS degree could help you have the requisite knowledge. But for databases and distributed systems? Domain knowledge would get you much further than what you learn from a CS degree.
Working in ML in a big firm. Data pointa are about 30. Most candidates pass the resume screen at least have Masters, majority have PhDs. Bachelors are rarely considered, unless EXTREMELY competitive, like good students from Harvard/MIT.
Interesting that your firm only recruits experienced people or do they think that there has been to much grade inflation.
Back in my first job (based on campus at CIT) they did prefer BSC's (with a first from the right uni, I think Harvard might just have made the list) for new recruits with the idea that they would do a masters /phd at the organisation.
