After reshaping the global AI race, OpenAI is now stepping into the services industry with the launch of the OpenAI Deployment Company, or DeployCo, a new venture focused on helping organisations build, customise, and deploy AI systems across their business networks.
OpenAI says its new Deployment Company, backed by over $4 billion in funding from investors including Goldman Sachs and SoftBank, will help businesses integrate AI tools across their systems.
OpenAI President Greg Brockman said DeployCo includes 150 “Forward Deployed Engineers and Deployment Specialists” who will work directly with clients to customise and implement AI solutions based on business needs. The company is also partnering with 19 major firms, including Capgemini and McKinsey & Company, to support enterprise AI adoption.
The announcement has sparked debate over whether AI could challenge Indian IT giants like TCS and Infosys, which depend heavily on SaaS-based service models. Some fear OpenAI’s move could reduce reliance on traditional IT service providers.
However, experts also see it as a potential opportunity rather than a threat. Box CEO Aaron Levie noted that AI could drive a transformation as significant as the shift from on-premise systems to cloud computing. He said AI agents will reshape how businesses operate, with customised applications across industries and departments.
According to Levie, this opens a major opportunity for service providers. Indian IT firms, known for large-scale customisation and enterprise integration, could play a key role even as AI companies lead in core technology development.
TCS, Infosys, and others have already begun partnering with AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic. With OpenAI reportedly serving over one million business users, the scale of the emerging AI market could still leave significant room for traditional IT players to grow.