OpenAI is stepping up its game in the enterprise AI consulting space by setting a starting fee of $10 million per client, as revealed by The Information. This move means that their engineers are working closely with companies to customise AI models—like GPT-4o—to meet specific data needs and to create custom applications such as chatbots. It’s a competitive play that puts them right alongside firms like Palantir and Accenture.
A dedicated team, known internally as Forward Deployed Engineers (FDE), leads these projects. Their role goes beyond adapting AI models; they also handle data labelling, ensuring that AI-generated responses are carefully reviewed and refined. In some cases, OpenAI might even partner with specialised firms like Snorkel AI or Surge AI to handle this step.
Clients for these services include heavyweight names like the US Department of Defense and the Southeast Asian tech company, Grab. If you’ve ever struggled to find the right partner for complex technology projects, this move shows that major players are investing heavily in real-world AI applications.
