The hottest AI job FDE: monthly salary 50,000 yuan, here's what they do...

What happened: Chinese tech firms and AI companies are hiring Forward Deployed Engineers (FDE), engineers stationed at client sites to deploy software and solve business problems. Anthropic, OpenAI, AWS, Kimi and Tencent Cloud have announced FDE-related programs. Key numbers: Monthly salaries of 30,000 to 50,000 yuan at some large firms. Overseas median base salary about $200,000. Why it matters: Practitioners say FDE work is mostly communication, with development about 30 percent. Some see the role as transitional, and independent FDEs increasingly shift toward consulting.

Chinese tech firms and AI companies are hiring Forward Deployed Engineers (FDE), engineers stationed at client sites to deploy software and solve business problems. Anthropic, OpenAI, AWS, Kimi and Tencent Cloud have announced FDE-related programs.

Practitioners say FDE work is mostly communication, with development about 30 percent. Some see the role as transitional, and independent FDEs increasingly shift toward consulting.