Amazon and Anthropic Send Engineers to Help Companies Use AI
AI is only useful if you can use it—these engineers make that happen.
companies have realized that having the smartest AI isn't enough—businesses need help putting it to work. So, they're hiring thousands of engineers to go directly to customer sites and assist with deployment. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is investing $1 billion in this effort, and Anthropic plans to train 10,000 such engineers by 2027. These engineers help companies overcome outdated technology and identify where AI can truly make a difference.
This shift is changing how AI is sold. Instead of just selling software, companies are now providing hands-on support to ensure customers succeed. The demand for these forward-deployed engineers is skyrocketing: job postings in the US jumped from about 200 in 2023 to 7,300 in the first nine months of 2026. Consultancies like Deloitte and Accenture are also hiring these engineers, showing that the trend spans beyond tech firms.
For everyday people, this means AI tools might become more useful and easier to adopt in various industries, from healthcare to finance. As companies get better at implementing AI, we could see faster improvements in services and products. The catch is that this personalized support is expensive, and the costs might be passed on to customers. Also, the rush to deploy AI could lead to shortcuts that compromise quality or safety.
- Amazon and Anthropic are spending billions to send engineers to help businesses use AI effectively.
- Job postings for these 'forward-deployed engineers' have grown sixfold in a year, reaching 7,300 in the US.
- Consultancies like Deloitte and Accenture are also hiring these engineers, indicating broad demand across industries.
Why It Matters
This could lead to better AI tools in everyday services, but may also increase costs for consumers.