📊 Full opportunity report: The Forward-Deploy Pivot: Why Anthropic and OpenAI Are Becoming Consulting Firms in the Same Week on ThorstenMeyerAI.com — validation score, market gap, and execution plan.

Anthropic and OpenAI have announced the formation of new enterprise service companies backed by major investment firms, marking a strategic pivot toward AI-driven consulting and embedding AI engineers into mid-sized companies. This move aims to reshape the traditional consulting industry and signals a potential for future public offerings.

On May 4, 2026, Anthropic announced a $1.5 billion enterprise services joint venture (JV), backed by Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, Goldman Sachs, and other major investors. The firm plans to embed Anthropic’s Applied AI engineers into mid-sized companies across sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services, adopting a Palantir-like forward-deploy model.

Hours later, OpenAI announced a similar initiative called ‘DeployCo,’ backed by TPG, Bain Capital, and others, with a valuation of approximately $10 billion—significantly larger than Anthropic’s initial valuation. This parallel development underscores a competitive push into AI-enabled enterprise consulting.

Anthropic is reportedly nearing a $40-50 billion funding round that could value the company at over $900 billion, surpassing OpenAI’s recent valuation of $852 billion. The coordinated timing of these announcements aligns with Anthropic’s potential IPO planned for late 2026, aiming to leverage its expanding AI capabilities and enterprise presence.

Disruption of the Traditional Consulting Industry

This strategic shift indicates that AI-native firms are positioning themselves to capture a significant share of the $1.4 trillion global IT services market. By embedding AI engineers directly into client operations, Anthropic and OpenAI aim to replace or augment traditional consulting services, especially in the mid-market segment. This could reduce reliance on legacy consulting giants like McKinsey and Accenture, fundamentally changing how enterprise solutions are delivered and monetized, and potentially leading to a new era of AI-driven outcomes-focused services.

Strategic Moves in AI-Driven Enterprise Services

Over the past year, major AI firms have increasingly targeted enterprise markets, with Anthropic’s ARR reaching $9 billion in 2025 and expected to exceed $30 billion by early 2026. The formation of these joint ventures follows Anthropic’s existing relationships with the Big 4 consulting firms, which continue to serve large Fortune 500 clients, but now face competition from directly owned, vertically integrated AI service entities.

The timing aligns with Anthropic’s broader funding efforts, including a potential IPO that would value the company at over $900 billion, positioning it as a dominant AI player. OpenAI’s DeployCo, backed by substantial private equity commitments, is seen as a parallel effort to establish a foothold in enterprise consulting, particularly in sectors too small for traditional Big 4 firms but too complex for self-service software.

“The formation of these AI-native enterprise service firms signals a fundamental shift in how AI companies are positioning themselves—moving from pure technology providers to embedded, outcomes-focused consultants.”

— Thorsten Meyer

Unclear Details on Long-Term Impact and Strategy

It remains unclear how these new enterprise service entities will scale, compete with established consulting giants, or influence market share over the next 1-2 years. The exact business models, revenue-sharing arrangements, and client adoption rates are still emerging, and the long-term success of these ventures is uncertain.

Next Steps and Future Developments in AI Enterprise Services

Anthropic’s potential IPO, expected as early as October 2026, will be a key milestone to watch, providing capital and validation for its enterprise ambitions. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s DeployCo will continue expanding client deployments and sector coverage. Industry observers will monitor how traditional consulting firms respond, whether through partnerships, competition, or internal innovation, and how these AI-native firms capture market share in the mid-market segment.

Key Questions

How do these new ventures differ from traditional consulting firms?

They embed AI engineers directly into client organizations, focusing on outcomes and workflows rather than just providing software or advisory services. This vertical integration aims to deliver more tailored, scalable AI solutions.

Will these AI-native firms replace traditional consulting giants?

They are positioned to capture a significant share of the mid-market segment, which is underserved by Big 4 firms. However, large enterprise transformations for Fortune 500 companies are likely to remain with established consulting firms for the foreseeable future.

What is the significance of the valuation differences between Anthropic and OpenAI?

The larger valuation of OpenAI’s DeployCo reflects its broader backing, larger funding commitments, and possibly a more aggressive growth strategy. It signals strong investor confidence in OpenAI’s enterprise ambitions.

Could these ventures impact the global IT services market?

Yes, by redirecting a portion of the $6 spent on services for every dollar on software, these AI-native firms could reshape the market, especially in the mid-market segment, and challenge existing players.

Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com