Forward Deployed Engineers: Closing the gap between AI pilots and value

The rise of a new AI delivery model: Why forward deployed engineers matter now

AI agents are changing how organizations operate, creating demand for teams that can bring together technical expertise, business context, and execution.

Forward Deployed Engineers work at the intersection of strategy, technology, and operations. Their role is to identify opportunities, accelerate implementation, validate outcomes, and help organizations build capabilities that can scale across the enterprise.

As organizations expand their use of AI agents, execution is becoming a defining factor in how quickly value can be realized.

Scaling value across the enterprise

Download the report to learn how leading organizations are applying this model to accelerate AI adoption and unlock enterprise value.

Bringing AI closer to where value is created

Connecting innovation to operational impact

As AI initiatives mature, organizations are increasingly focused on translating technical innovation into business outcomes.

Working alongside business teams, FDEs help organizations:

Identify high-value use cases
Accelerate solution development
Measure and validate outcomes
Increase organizational adoption
Build capabilities that scale beyond a single project

These capabilities help ensure AI initiatives remain closely aligned with business priorities while supporting long-term value realization.

The leaders who learn to deploy FDE talent against the right problems and alongside the right complementary capabilities will be best positioned to translate AI's promise into durable business advantage.

Matteo Colombo

Principal, KPMG Global Leader for Cloud, Data, AI , KPMG US

The architecture of AI value: Capabilities that support AI at scale

Organizations generating meaningful outcomes from AI are investing in a connected ecosystem of capabilities that support execution, adoption, and sustained transformation.

AI factories
Establish repeatable processes for building, deploying, and scaling AI solutions.
Forward deployed engineering
Bridge technical innovation and business outcomes through hands-on execution.
Change adoption
Accelerate organizational readiness and support new ways of working.
Learning and workforce transformation
Prepare employees with the skills required to thrive in an AI-enabled future.

Together, these capabilities create a foundation for enterprise-wide AI transformation while supporting trust, governance, and business alignment.

Scaling value across the enterprise

Download the report to learn how leading organizations are applying this model to accelerate AI adoption and unlock enterprise value.

Turning AI investment into business impact

How organizations accelerate value realization

Forward deployed engineering helps organizations move more quickly from opportunity identification to measurable outcomes.

	Accelerate time to value: Shorten the path from concept development to deployment.
	Align innovation with business priorities:Focus investments on initiatives tied to strategic outcomes.
	Increase confidence in deployment:Embed governance, security, compliance, and responsible AI practices throughout implementation.
	Build sustainable capabilities:Create knowledge and expertise that remain within the organization long after deployment.
	Expand enterprise adoption:Establish repeatable approaches for scaling successful AI initiatives across the business.