Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for TECHtonic: Trends in Technology and Services
TECHtonic: Trends in Technology and Services · Friday · 41 min

138. What Forward Deployed Engineers Actually Do at Salesforce

What does it take to build a successful forward deployed engineering (FDE) function as AI reshapes how technology companies deliver value? Thomas Lah kicks off the conversation with TSIA’s newly published FDE Maturity Model, revealing why this emerging function is still evolving across the industry. Joining him is Usman Nasir, VP of AI Forward Deployed Engineering at Salesforce, who shares an inside look at how Salesforce is building and scaling its FDE capability, from deploying production-ready AI agents to driving customer adoption and turning field insights into product innovation. From building the right team and defining the FDE role to understanding the economics behind customer deployments, Usman shares what it takes to make this model work at enterprise scale. Thomas and Usman unpack Salesforce’s pod approach, the talent needed to succeed, and why testing AI agents demands an entirely new mindset. As organizations race to turn AI potential into production results, this episode offers a closer look at the people, operating models, and strategies shaping the future of forward deployed engineering.

0:00-41:17
Play in

transcript

No transcript — this publisher did not publish one.

show notes

What does it take to build a successful forward deployed engineering (FDE) function as AI reshapes how technology companies deliver value? Thomas Lah kicks off the conversation with TSIA’s newly published FDE Maturity Model, revealing why this emerging function is still evolving across the industry. Joining him is Usman Nasir, VP of AI Forward Deployed Engineering at Salesforce, who shares an inside look at how Salesforce is building and scaling its FDE capability, from deploying production-ready AI agents to driving customer adoption and turning field insights into product innovation.

From building the right team and defining the FDE role to understanding the economics behind customer deployments, Usman shares what it takes to make this model work at enterprise scale. Thomas and Usman unpack Salesforce’s pod approach, the talent needed to succeed, and why testing AI agents demands an entirely new mindset. As organizations race to turn AI potential into production results, this episode offers a closer look at the people, operating models, and strategies shaping the future of forward deployed engineering.

more episodes

All episodes