Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is significantly expanding its artificial intelligence strategy by planning to build a large team of forward-deployed engineers (FDEs) while also exploring acquisitions of AI-focused companies. The move reflects the IT giant’s growing focus on helping enterprises adopt and scale AI solutions.
The initiative comes at a time when investors have expressed concerns that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could disrupt India’s IT services industry. However, TCS believes AI is creating new business opportunities rather than reducing demand for technology services.
Speaking about the company’s strategy, TCS CEO K. Krithivasan said the future of AI lies not just in developing models but in successfully integrating them into customers’ business environments. He emphasized that TCS’ deep understanding of client operations and its experienced talent pool provide a significant competitive advantage.
According to the company, forward-deployed engineers will work directly with customers to implement, customize, and operationalize AI solutions. Their responsibilities will include integrating AI into existing business workflows, adapting AI models to specific enterprise requirements, and addressing technical challenges during deployment.
TCS plans to have FDEs account for around 1% to 1.5% of its global workforce. Based on the company’s employee strength as of June 2026, this translates to an estimated 5,900 to 8,900 AI-focused engineers. The company has not yet clarified whether these roles will be filled through new hiring or by reskilling and redeploying existing employees.
Alongside expanding its AI workforce, TCS is also evaluating potential acquisitions in areas such as artificial intelligence, data security, and cybersecurity. The objective is to strengthen its technological capabilities and enhance its long-term strategic position in the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
As enterprises worldwide accelerate AI adoption, demand for professionals who can successfully deploy and manage AI systems continues to grow. Through its FDE initiative and acquisition strategy, TCS is positioning itself to play a larger role in the next phase of enterprise AI transformation while creating new growth opportunities beyond traditional IT outsourcing.
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