OpenAI, Anthropic hire engineers who can code and communicate with customers

Artificial intelligence firms are ramping up recruitment for a new breed of engineers who combine technical expertise with business understanding. Companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere are actively seeking “forward-deployed engineers” — professionals who not only write code but also work directly with clients to help them integrate AI into their operations, according to a Financial Times report.

Unlike traditional software engineers, these specialists act as a bridge between cutting-edge AI systems and real-world business needs. They spend time on the ground — in offices, factories, and even farms — identifying how AI tools can be tailored to solve practical problems.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, established its forward-deployed engineering team earlier this year and plans to expand it to around 50 engineers in 2025. Rival Anthropic, which develops the AI assistant Claude, is also significantly scaling up its applied AI division, projecting a fivefold increase in team size by the end of the year.

According to data from Indeed, job postings for such applied AI roles have soared by more than 800% between January and September this year, highlighting a strong industry shift towards making AI products more actionable for enterprise use.

Businesses are increasingly eager to embrace AI but often struggle to adapt it to their unique contexts. A multinational bank, for instance, may need large-scale automation, while a start-up might prioritise AI-powered customer insights. Forward-deployed engineers serve as the crucial link, ensuring that these systems deliver tangible value rather than remaining abstract innovations. AI start-ups are adopting this model to accelerate adoption and maximise utility.