Category: 3. Business

  • With 88% ownership of the shares, Tristel plc (LON:TSTL) is heavily dominated by institutional owners

    With 88% ownership of the shares, Tristel plc (LON:TSTL) is heavily dominated by institutional owners

    • Institutions’ substantial holdings in Tristel implies that they have significant influence over the company’s share price

    • The top 9 shareholders own 52% of the company

    • Analyst forecasts along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business

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    To get a sense of who is truly in control of Tristel plc (LON:TSTL), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. We can see that institutions own the lion’s share in the company with 88% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

    Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait.

    In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Tristel.

    View our latest analysis for Tristel

    AIM:TSTL Ownership Breakdown November 2nd 2025

    Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

    We can see that Tristel does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company’s stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there’s always a risk that they are in a ‘crowded trade’. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Tristel’s historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there’s always more to the story.

    earnings-and-revenue-growth
    AIM:TSTL Earnings and Revenue Growth November 2nd 2025

    Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. We note that hedge funds don’t have a meaningful investment in Tristel. Liontrust Asset Management PLC is currently the largest shareholder, with 9.9% of shares outstanding. Rathbones Investment Management Limited is the second largest shareholder owning 8.4% of common stock, and Raymond James Wealth Management Limited holds about 7.7% of the company stock.

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  • Weight loss jab warning: fraudsters’ fake products ‘could cause real harm’ | Scams

    Weight loss jab warning: fraudsters’ fake products ‘could cause real harm’ | Scams

    You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

    But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription from a doctor and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.

    The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

    The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

    The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

    New figures from the high street bank Santander show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

    “Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says Michelle Pilsworth, the bank’s head of fraud.

    What it looks like

    Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

    The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

    As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, such as Mounjaro, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

    “Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says Pilsworth.

    What to do

    As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

    The MHRA has warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

    Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to ensure this is properly registered.

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  • Victims robbed of £4bn in ‘insulting’ car loan redress scheme, say claims firms | Motor finance

    Victims robbed of £4bn in ‘insulting’ car loan redress scheme, say claims firms | Motor finance

    Victims of the car loans scandal could miss out on more than £4bn in compensation if the City regulator ploughs ahead with plans for an “insulting” interest rate in its redress scheme, consumer groups and claims firms say.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been accused of offering a reduced rate of interest which will be added to compensation from banks for borrowers caught up in the car loan commissions scandal.

    Claims law firms and consumer groups say borrowers should be offered the same terms as Marcus Johnson: the sole driver whose case was upheld by the supreme court in a landmark case in August.

    While the terms of the final payout are sealed, Johnson is widely believed by industry experts to have received about 7% interest on his compensation package, after judges ordered the parties to negotiate a “commercial rate”. But the watchdog has proposed a rate of 2.09% on the compensation.

    The FCA has estimated that victims payouts will average £700 resulting from 14m unfair loans, costing lenders – including Lloyds, Barclays, Close Brothers and the financial arms of manufacturers like Ford – a combined £11bn.

    Critics say these terms are “unacceptable” and will ultimately rob drivers of another £4bn of compensation, based on calculations outlined in the FCA’s own consultation documents.

    Darren Smith, the managing director of the claims law firm Courmacs Legal, said: “The FCA’s proposal to cap interest at 2.09% is frankly insulting to the millions of victims who were overcharged, many well over a decade ago.”

    He said lenders would not stand for cut-price rates being offered to consumers. “It exposes a staggering hypocrisy,” Smith said. “If the boot was on the other foot, and a bank was a successful claimant in a commercial dispute, would they meekly accept 2.09% on their losses? [Lloyds Banking Group’s chief executive] Charlie Nunn would rightly be asking the general counsel at Lloyds to demand the full commercial rate of interest from the wrongdoer.”

    The scheme is meant to draw a line under the scandal, which centres on unfair loan commission payments paid to car dealers by banks and specialist lenders. The FCA has estimated that 14m historic car loan contracts that may be deemed unfair because of these commission payments.

    When discounting administrative costs, about £9.7bn of the £11bn sum will go straight to consumers. However, that sum is based on paying out a 2.09% annual interest rate on base levels of compensation.

    Marcus Johnson, whose case was upheld by the supreme court in a landmark case in August. Photograph: Dimitris Legakis/The Guardian

    Consumers would be due £14.3bn if the interest rate were closer to 8%, according to FCA documents. That rate of 8% is what has historically been paid out alongside successful county court cases, and by the Financial Ombudsman Service before its own rates were cut earlier this year.

    The current proposals mean a consumer will on average receive about £700 in compensation, rather than £1,030 at the 8% rate.

    “The interest rate is way too low, in my view,” said Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert, in his BBC podcast this month, adding that he was planning to raise the issue in his response to the FCA consultation.

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    Kevin Durkin, of HD Law, who represented Johnson during his supreme court case, agreed, told the Guardian that the FCA’s proposals were “unfair” and did “not adequately compensate consumers enough for the many years they’ve suffered under an unfair relationship with their lender. The FCA redress scheme should reflect what the supreme court awarded to Mr Johnson.”

    Consumer advocates have also raised concerns. Alex Neill, a co-founder of the consumer rights organisation Consumer Voice, said: “The proposed rate of interest is unacceptable and would leave drivers losing out on £4bn they’re rightly owed.

    “Suggesting that those hit hardest – who have already faced extra costs due to this mis-selling scandal – should negotiate for a fair rate themselves is clearly unworkable.”

    However, the Financing and Leasing Association (FLA) said the interest rate should reflect changes to compensation payouts at the FOS, which earlier this year were cut from 8% to the average Bank of England base rate, plus 1%. “The FCA is applying the same rate” in its redress scheme, the FLA said.

    An FCA spokesperson said: “Our proposals take account of court decisions on redress. We believe interest that links to the Bank [of England] base rate is fair, proportionate and aligns with the planned approach of the Financial Ombudsman.

    “Consumers would have the right to challenge this if they have evidence this was unfair to them. We welcome feedback on our proposals.”

    Lloyds declined to comment.

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  • Liverpool Street station to shut over Christmas for travellers

    Liverpool Street station to shut over Christmas for travellers

    PA Media Station concourse. Some people are sitting on benches whilst others walk past with cases. There is a Christmas tree with white lights in the foreground.PA Media

    Travellers are warned to check with their rail provider before setting off on their journeys over the Christmas period

    Liverpool Street Station will be closed for eight days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for works to be carried out on its roof, Network Rail said.

    It has urged people travelling over the Christmas period to check journey plans if travelling via the UK’s busiest station.

    Strengthening work will also be carried out inside the Bishopsgate Tunnel approach to London Liverpool Street, alongside signalling renewal work across Cambridgeshire.

    Full services will resume from and to the station on 2 January, it added.

    EPA People at Liverpool Street station with a train on a platform. Some are on mobile phones, others have luggage. EPA

    Greater Anglia passengers will be affected by the closure of Liverpool Street station

    The engineering work taking place in Cambridgeshire will start on Christmas Day and last up to 11 days, Network Rail said, to deliver the second stage of the Cambridge re-signalling project and modernise the system.

    Signalling engineers will introduce a new control system to operate the signals for the section of railway between Cambridge North and Audley End.

    “A new digital workstation at the Cambridge signalling centre will replace the 40-year-old signalling panel allowing signallers to oversee the operation of the network more efficiently,” Network Rail said.

    “This work is also vital to allow the new station at Cambridge South to open early in the New Year.”

    An upgrade to the Meldreth Road level crossing in Cambridgeshire will see a full barrier CCTV system introduced too.

    From 27 December to 4 January 2026, there will be no rail services between Royston and Stansted Mountfitchet and Cambridge and Cambridge North.

    Rail services between Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds will also be affected during these dates, with rail replacement bus services in place between affected stations from Friday 27 December.

    PA Media A group of people near a set of ticket barriers in a concourse. PA Media

    New ticket barriers on platforms at London Liverpool Street will be introduced

    Network Rail, which is responsible for railway infrastructure, said all of its train services will not run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and will finish early on Christmas Eve on some routes.

    From 27 December, Greater Anglia services on the Great Eastern and West Anglia mainlines will run to and from Stratford, including Stansted Express services.

    The Stansted Express would operate a revised service to and from Tottenham Hale on Boxing Day.

    Services to Norwich, Ipswich, Clacton-on-Sea and Braintree will run to and from Witham due to engineering work.

    Buses will run between Witham and Billericay to provide a connection with train services between Billericay and Stratford.

    PA Media Liverpool Street Station concourse. You can see shops, hundreds of people on the concourse and escalator and departure boards.PA Media

    London’s busiest rail station will shut for eight days over Christmas

    London Liverpool Street works include the strengthening of Bishopsgate tunnel, which will see the installation of steel support girders inside the tunnel and work to repair existing steelwork to prevent corrosion.

    On the station concourse, roof panels will be renewed to allow more light into the station, improve the drainage system and renew seals “to make the roof resilient to more frequent and intense storms”, said Network Rail.

    New ticket gates for platforms one to 10 will also be added.

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  • Enplas (TSE:6961) Margin Advance Challenges Concerns Over Slowing Earnings Growth

    Enplas (TSE:6961) Margin Advance Challenges Concerns Over Slowing Earnings Growth

    Enplas (TSE:6961) reported net profit margins of 10.4%, edging up from 9.8% in the previous period. Over the past year, earnings grew by 9.5%, which is below the company’s five-year average growth rate of 25.5% per year. However, forward guidance remains strong with earnings expected to rise 17.1% annually, well ahead of the broader Japanese market’s 7.7% forecasted growth. The company’s steady improvement in margins and above-market profit growth continue to be standout drivers for investors watching this cycle’s results.

    See our full analysis for Enplas.

    The next section lines up these newest earnings results against the broader narratives circulating in the market, highlighting exactly where expectations have been met and where surprises might force a rethink.

    Curious how numbers become stories that shape markets? Explore Community Narratives

    TSE:6961 Revenue & Expenses Breakdown as at Nov 2025
    • Enplas improved its net profit margins to 10.4% from 9.8% in the previous period, putting it ahead of many industry rivals focusing on operational efficiency.

    • Margin expansion aligns with the view that steady execution and supply chain management remain key to Enplas’s stable performance. Operational consistency is highlighted despite growth moderating from the five-year average.

      • What is notable is that, even as earnings growth slowed to 9.5% from a historical 25.5% average, management’s margin discipline has kept profitability front and center.

      • Investors may see this as a sign that Enplas is prioritizing resilient, quality-driven growth over short-term speed. This echoes recent sector trends of rewarding stability.

    • Earnings are expected to grow 17.1% annually, markedly higher than the Japanese market’s 7.7% forecast, while revenue is projected to rise 6.3% per year versus the market’s 4.5%.

    • Projected outperformance supports claims that Enplas continues to carve out space for above-market growth by focusing on innovation and demand diversification.

      • The contrast between Enplas’s forecasted 17.1% earnings growth and the broader market’s 7.7% shows that the company is positioned as a growth leader in its segment.

      • However, with recent annual earnings growth slowing relative to the five-year average, investors may feel cautious but encouraged that momentum still stays well above the pack.

    • At a share price of 8,140.00, Enplas trades above its DCF fair value of 7,332.88 but has a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.6x, lower than the peer average (22.6x) yet higher than the Japanese electronics sector (15.6x).

    • The numbers frame a nuanced investment debate. Trading above fair value could limit near-term upside, yet a below-peer P/E ratio hints at relative affordability if profit growth sustains its pace.

      • Investors weighing market signals must balance that premium to DCF fair value against both the forward growth profile and sector context.

      • Conversations around valuation often revolve around whether consistent profit delivery and sector resilience justify a higher multiple versus industry averages.

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  • Saudi Chemical Giant Misses on Profit as Downturn Persists

    Saudi Chemical Giant Misses on Profit as Downturn Persists

    Saudi Arabia’s biggest chemical company reported lower-than-expected profit as a global industry downturn persisted and pressured selling prices, margins and utilization rates.

    Saudi Basic Industries Corp. posted third-quarter net income of 440 million riyals ($117 million), according to a statementBloomberg Terminal on Sunday. While the company returned to profit after a string of quarterly losses, the figures trailed the consensus forecast of 729 million by analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

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  • Five-Year Loss Reduction Rate Reinforces Bullish Value Narrative

    Five-Year Loss Reduction Rate Reinforces Bullish Value Narrative

    Adventure (TSE:6030) continues to operate at a loss but has managed to narrow its losses at a steady 5.1% annual rate over the past five years. The stock trades at ¥2,610, just under its estimated fair value of ¥2,624.71, and its Price-To-Sales Ratio of 0.8x remains more attractive than both industry (0.9x) and peer (1.1x) averages. With no major risks flagged and valuation multiples pointing to good value, investors are likely focused on whether this steady improvement in losses sets up a turn to profitability.

    See our full analysis for Adventure.

    Now we will see how these results compare against the core narratives in the community. In some cases, the numbers will reinforce the story, while in others, they may challenge the prevailing view.

    Curious how numbers become stories that shape markets? Explore Community Narratives

    TSE:6030 Revenue & Expenses Breakdown as at Nov 2025
    • Adventure has reduced its losses by an average of 5.1% annually over the last five years, which is a notable multi-year turnaround pace given ongoing unprofitability.

    • Recent performance highlights the prevailing market view that steady progress toward narrowing losses, even without profits, helps strengthen the fundamental case for patient investors.

      • This gradual improvement, supported by multi-year incremental gains, challenges the idea that only profitable companies deserve investor attention.

      • The persistence in shrinking losses, despite lack of headline profitability, underpins why some investors stay positive on the path toward better financial health.

    • With a Price-To-Sales Ratio of 0.8x, Adventure trades at a level lower than both its industry (0.9x) and peer (1.1x) averages, giving it an edge on traditional valuation metrics.

    • The prevailing market view leans on this discount as a key reason the stock’s risk/reward skews positively despite the lack of near-term profits.

      • A lower multiple compared to both industry and peer benchmarks provides support for the view that the downside may be more limited at current prices.

      • Investors seeking a bargain often prioritize stocks trading below peer averages, especially when other risks are not dominant in recent filings.

    • The share price of ¥2,610 sits just under the DCF fair value of ¥2,624.71, indicating the market price is essentially aligned with modeled intrinsic value as of the latest filing.

    • The prevailing market view points out that this tight gap between price and DCF fair value removes a major stumbling block for value-focused investors.

      • With so little difference between price and calculated fair value, the stock may draw attention from those who see minimal over- or undervaluation right now.

      • This alignment can also shift the investor focus toward fundamentals and earnings trajectory, rather than chasing a large value gap.

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  • Aker BioMarine (OB:AKBM) Losses Deepen 15% Annually, Narrative Shifts to Profitability Prospects

    Aker BioMarine (OB:AKBM) Losses Deepen 15% Annually, Narrative Shifts to Profitability Prospects

    Aker BioMarine (OB:AKBM) remains unprofitable, with losses deepening at an average of 15% per year over the past five years. The latest report highlights no turnaround in net profit margin or high-quality earnings. However, the company’s revenue is forecast to climb 10.8% per year, significantly outpacing the broader Norwegian market’s expected growth of 2.4%. Shares trade at NOK86, well below an estimated fair value of NOK196.27. For investors, the story has shifted to AKBM’s path toward profitability and its rapid earnings growth potential, balanced against stretched price-to-sales multiples compared to peers and continued losses.

    See our full analysis for Aker BioMarine.

    The next section takes these headline results and sets them directly against Simply Wall St’s community-driven narratives, highlighting which stories hold up and which are challenged by the numbers.

    See what the community is saying about Aker BioMarine

    OB:AKBM Earnings & Revenue History as at Nov 2025
    • Analysts expect profit margins to reverse from negative 6.3% today to a healthy 16.2% in three years, as AKBM’s efficiency initiatives take effect.

    • According to the analysts’ consensus view, several factors are expected to drive this turnaround:

      • Centralizing the Human Health Ingredients segment in Houston is intended to streamline production and bring down costs. Successful launches in large U.S. retail chains are anticipated to lift sales volumes and push margins higher.

      • Efforts to mitigate tariff and supply chain pressures, through programs like duty drawback and optimized export routes to China, are forecast to help stabilize earnings and support margin expansion.

    • Results reinforce the consensus take that margin improvement depends on both internal cost control and overcoming external headwinds.
      📊 Read the full Aker BioMarine Consensus Narrative.

    • Aker BioMarine carries $157 million of interest-bearing debt, so rising net profits will need to balance against sizable financial obligations as revenue scales up.

    • Consensus narrative highlights both opportunity and risk:

      • While revenue is projected to jump 14% a year, high debt levels may restrict the benefits of stronger operations, especially if market conditions become less favorable.

      • Analysts caution that ongoing restructurings, such as relocating resources to Houston, remain a potential source of extra costs that could impact margin gains expected from growth initiatives.

    • Shares trade at NOK86, which is well below the DCF fair value of NOK196.27, but remain expensive on a price-to-sales ratio (3.5x) compared to Norwegian food peers (1.3x) and the industry average (1.8x).

    • Analysts’ consensus view points to an apparent disconnect:

      • Based on the current share price, the analyst target is 69.12, which is 19.6% lower and implies skepticism about AKBM hitting projected growth and profitability milestones.

      • Consensus sees future upside as possible but stresses that improvement in operating results is key, not just narrative momentum or sector optimism.

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  • Lemonsoft (HLSE:LEMON) Margin Decline Reinforces Defensive Value Narrative for Investors

    Lemonsoft (HLSE:LEMON) Margin Decline Reinforces Defensive Value Narrative for Investors

    Lemonsoft Oyj (HLSE:LEMON) posted a net profit margin of 14.5%, down from 16.9% a year ago, with its revenue forecast to grow at 4.1% per year, just trailing the Finnish market average of 4.2%. Earnings are projected to increase at 13.6% per year, compared to the broader market’s 16.7% outlook, and the company has delivered an average annual earnings growth of 11.3% over the past five years. With earnings quality described as high, these results suggest a steady, if slightly slowing, operational performance that positions Lemonsoft as a value contender among its software peers.

    See our full analysis for Lemonsoft Oyj.

    Next up, we will put these numbers in context by comparing them to the wider market narratives and expectations, spotting where Lemonsoft’s story aligns or veers off track.

    Curious how numbers become stories that shape markets? Explore Community Narratives

    HLSE:LEMON Earnings & Revenue History as at Nov 2025
    • Lemonsoft’s Price-to-Earnings ratio stands at 28.1x, which is not only right in line with the European software industry average (28x), but also sits well below the immediate peer group average of 42.7x. This gives the stock a relative value edge that was not deeply apparent from first-glance headline metrics.

    • What stands out for newer investors is that the share price trades below discounted cash flow (DCF) fair value (€7.00 versus €8.34), heavily supporting the view that Lemonsoft offers a margin of safety despite trailing revenue growth.

      • The DCF fair value calculation is even higher than the industry peer average, suggesting that current market pricing underappreciates Lemonsoft’s underlying fundamentals.

      • This valuation disconnect is especially notable considering the firm’s recent net profit margin decline, offering a defensive angle even with sector growth cooling.

    • Lemonsoft’s share price has not been particularly stable over the past three months, even though the company’s forecast profit and revenue growth are positive and not far off the market average.

    • While recent price fluctuations might concern cautious investors, prevailing analyses suggest that Lemonsoft’s defensive characteristics, such as high earnings quality and continued profit growth at 13.6% per year, help balance out stability risks.

      • Share price volatility has not corresponded with a sudden deterioration in the company’s fundamentals, which reassures those focused on sustained results rather than short-term price moves.

      • The company’s average annual earnings growth of 11.3% across five years also offers a buffer that tempers the significance of recent share price swings.

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  • The new hot job in AI: forward-deployed engineers

    The new hot job in AI: forward-deployed engineers

    Stay informed with free updates

    Artificial intelligence groups are on a hiring spree for a rare kind of software developer who can code and talk to customers, as they race to increase adoption of their cutting-edge technology.

    Anthropic, OpenAI and Cohere are recruiting for so-called forward-deployed engineers, a new job for generative AI companies, as part of a push to generate more revenues by installing specialists within businesses to help them customise their AI models.

    OpenAI set up an FDE team at the start of this year and expects to grow it to about 50 engineers in 2025, Arnaud Fournier, who heads up the company’s FDEs in Europe and the Middle East, told the Financial Times. Anthropic said it would grow its applied AI team, which includes FDEs and product engineers, fivefold this year to meet customer demand.

    Job advertisements for these type of customer-facing AI roles have rocketed in 2025, according to data from jobs platform Indeed. Monthly job listings for FDEs increased more than 800 per cent between January and September this year.

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    The move comes as businesses across industries from manufacturing to healthcare are increasingly keen to adopt AI tools, but are often unsure how to use the technology and generate a return on investment.

    “A Fortune 500 bank has completely different needs than a start-up building an AI-native product,” said Cat de Jong, head of applied AI at Anthropic.

    Nic Prettejohn, head of AI in the UK at Palantir, the data intelligence group, called the approach “product discovery from the inside”.

    “You want to build something that when you present to the customer, they say, ‘that’s a game-changer’,” he added.

    Palantir said it pioneered the job almost two decades ago, with FDE’s now representing about half of its workforce. The concept stems from the military, where soldiers were forward deployed into foreign countries. Palantir has sent its FDEs to Afghan and Iraqi military bases, factory floors in the US midwest, as well as oil refineries. 

    The company often sends customers a pair of employees, dubbed internally as “Echo” and “Delta”. The former is charged with deducing what the customer needs, while the latter has the technical skills to create it.

    Prettejohn said: “[Forward-deployed engineers] know that the only valuable software is not how exquisite its code is or how beautiful the language . . . It’s only valuable if it means something for the end customer.”

    AI start-ups are hoping to emulate Palantir’s use of the role. Cohere’s co-founder and chief executive Aidan Gomez said deploying engineers at the beginning of the customer’s contract helps build long, durable relationships.

    “We embed engineers at the start of work to ensure customers get exactly what they need and scale back once companies are up and running,” Gomez said.

    While FDEs represent a relatively small number of AI groups’ workforce, OpenAI said demand for these roles has exceeded its expectations.

    The group used this approach to customise its technology for John Deere, an agricultural machinery manufacturer, to help create more precise farming tools. This resulted in farmers reducing chemical spraying by 60 per cent to 70 per cent.

    OpenAI’s Fournier said: “We learn what customers in different industries really need, we experiment and innovate together, and then those insights help advance OpenAI’s research and product offerings based on what works in the real world.”

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