Someone needs to teach all the businesses out there how to use AI. Enter the so-called forward-deployed engineer.
Matt Ward, Cursor's head of talent, said on a recent episode of the "People by WTF" podcast that companies are racing to hire forward-deployed engineers to help companies and their clients adopt and personalize AI.
"You're deeply technical yourself," Ward said, describing the type of person who is a good fit for the job. "But you can also walk into a room with executives and leaders."
The role, popularized by Palantir, sits somewhere between software engineering, consulting, and product. Forward-deployed engineers typically integrate with customers, learn how their businesses operate, and then build or customize technology to meet their needs.
Demand for the role has exploded during the AI boom. Job postings for forward-deployed engineers in April were up over 5,000% compared to last year, according to Indeed data.
Several major AI companies are building dedicated teams around them. OpenAI's forward-deployed engineering team had 39 members late last year and 24 openings across the US, Europe, and Japan. Salaries for the role at OpenAI can be as high as $345,000 plus equity.
As AI companies race to turn powerful models into products businesses can actually use, it's not just engineers who are bridging the gap between technology and customers. Consultants are too.
Consulting firms have been hiring and retraining workers to help clients figure out where AI fits within their businesses and how to deploy it.
BCG, for example, has created a team of "forward-deployed consultants" who can vibe code and build AI tools directly on client projects, while McKinsey is increasingly looking for hires who can combine strong consulting skills with technical fluency.