How Important are Mentors in AI?

How important is it to have a mentor? Sources suggest that mentorship in general can have a large affect on careers, improving key skills, providing a different perspective & allowing for impartial advice among other things. Another key consideration, especially when starting your career, is that there have been many in your shoes with similar experiences whose advice is the result of experience. Whilst the necessary theoretical skills can be developed during study and education, the saturated nature of the Data Science market has resulted in the need to'stand out', which can be tough unless under the mentorship or guidance of someone who'knows what they're doing'. The growth in AI focussed roles in recent years has also resulted in great competition for mentors, most of whom will also be busy with other work or simply uninterested in mentorship.