New Delhi, July 6 (APAC Media): Microsoft is creating a new business unit to help large enterprises deploy customised AI solutions as competition in enterprise artificial intelligence continues to grow.
The company has launched Microsoft Frontier Co, a dedicated unit that brings together more than 6,000 employees, including engineering specialists, to support AI implementation for enterprise customers.
Microsoft is investing $2.5 billion in the initiative, with deployments powered by its existing AI platforms and cloud technologies.
The move comes as technology companies increasingly adopt the forward-deployed engineer (FDE) model, where engineering teams work directly with customers to build and deploy AI solutions. Microsoft already has experience in this approach through projects with companies including the London Stock Exchange Group, Unilever, Land O’Lakes and Accenture.
According to Commercial Business CEO Judson Althoff, Frontier Co is designed to go beyond the traditional FDE model by combining engineering expertise with Microsoft’s AI products to accelerate enterprise adoption.
Microsoft’s announcement follows similar investments by rivals in the enterprise AI market. Amazon Web Services recently committed $1 billion to expand its own AI deployment efforts, while OpenAI and Anthropic have also introduced enterprise-focused initiatives that combine engineering support with AI services.
The launch of Frontier Co highlights how major technology companies are shifting their focus from developing AI models to helping businesses integrate AI into day-to-day operations, making enterprise AI deployment the next major battleground in the artificial intelligence market.
