Key facts
- Amazon Web Services is launching a new division with $1 billion to embed AI engineers with customers.
- The engineers will assist clients in deploying AI agents and developing AI skills.
- The forward-deployed engineer model aims to accelerate AI adoption and value realization.
- Initial customers include the National Basketball Association and Ricoh.
- The initiative follows similar ventures launched by OpenAI and Anthropic.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is launching a new internal organization focused on artificial intelligence, committing $1 billion to fund forward-deployed engineers who will embed with customers. This initiative aims to accelerate the adoption and efficient implementation of AI software, particularly focusing on agentic AI patterns.
Francessca Vasquez, AWS vice president of frontier AI engineering and services, stated that the company is responding to significant customer demand for assistance in driving these AI patterns. The forward-deployed engineers are described as versatile professionals who work directly alongside clients, navigate internal complexities, and write production-grade code to ensure models deliver tangible results. Each customer engagement is planned for 45-day periods, with five to six pods of engineers deployed.
While AWS is entering this space, competitors like Palantir Technologies have offered similar services for over a decade, with Salesforce, Anthropic, and Google Cloud also providing comparable offerings. The role of forward-deployed engineers is highlighted as a growing area in tech, with demand increasing significantly. LinkedIn reported that demand for these roles grew 42-fold between 2023 and 2025.
The new AWS unit intends to employ thousands of individuals, drawing from both external hires and internal transfers. The success of the unit will be measured by the speed at which customers can develop new products or acquire new skills with the engineers' assistance, aiming for faster value realization than traditional project-based activities.
Initial customers for this new AWS service include the National Basketball Association and electronics company Ricoh. The announcement was made during a two-day customer event in Washington.