Trending Now - Students Shift to Uncertain 'ai-proof' Careers Amid Job Concerns
WHO:
Inc - College students are shifting majors due to concerns about AI's impact on the job market.
Entrepreneur - Judy Marks is the CEO of Otis, a company valued at $28 billion.
WHAT:
Fast Company - Box CEO Aaron Levie stated that "Forward deployed engineers, or equivalent, are about to become one of the most in-demand jobs in tech."
Fast Company - Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian announced that Google would hire hundreds of Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) to assist customers in adopting its business-centered AI products.
Fast Company - OpenAI launched an “OpenAI Deployment Company” to deploy its technology to businesses, with FDEs at the forefront of this initiative.
Fast Company - A job listing for an FDE at Anthropic offers an annual salary between $200,000 and $300,000, requiring experience in consulting or technical customer-facing roles.
Fast Company - Between January and September 2025, FDE job postings saw an 800% increase in the U.S.
Inc - Students are moving away from high-tech majors to pursue “safe” subjects.
Entrepreneur - Judy Marks advises new college graduates not to worry about the job market despite AI's influence.
WHY:
Fast Company - The demand for FDEs is growing rapidly as companies transition from AI experimentation to deployment, necessitating specialized roles to help enterprises utilize AI tools effectively.
Inc - Experts warn that there is no clear roadmap for the future job market as AI continues to evolve.
Entrepreneur - Marks believes that new graduates have a unique advantage in the current job landscape.
HOW:
Inc - The shift in majors is a response to the perceived threat of AI on entry-level jobs.
(UPDATED May 13, 2026 23:20 UTC)
The demand for Forward Deployed Engineers, or FDEs, is skyrocketing as companies shift from experimenting with AI to actively deploying it, creating a need for specialized roles to help enterprises effectively utilize these tools. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian announced plans to hire hundreds of FDEs to assist customers with their business-centered AI products, while OpenAI has launched an “OpenAI Deployment Company” to deploy its technology with FDEs leading the charge. Job listings for FDE positions are reflecting this trend, with one at Anthropic offering an impressive annual salary between $200,000 and $300,000, and a staggering 800% increase in FDE job postings was recorded in the U.S. between January and September 2025.
--
(UPDATED May 13, 2026 21:23 UTC)
College students are increasingly shifting their majors away from high-tech fields, opting for what they consider "safe" subjects due to concerns about AI's impact on the job market. Despite these worries, Judy Marks, the CEO of Otis, a company valued at $28 billion, encourages new graduates to remain optimistic, stating they have a unique advantage in today's job landscape. Experts caution that as AI continues to evolve, there is no clear roadmap for the future job market, which is driving this change among students.