Leading AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic are rapidly expanding beyond just building AI models, moving aggressively into enterprise services and consulting-like roles. According to the CIO report, both firms are now pushing into areas traditionally dominated by IT services companies—helping businesses not only access AI tools but also implement and integrate them into real-world operations.
A major shift is their move toward professional services and deployment support. Instead of simply offering APIs or software, these companies are forming joint ventures and exploring acquisitions of service firms to help clients adopt AI more effectively. This includes embedding engineers and experts directly into organizations to customize AI systems based on internal data and workflows—something previously handled by consulting giants.
This strategy reflects a broader industry trend: the realization that AI adoption is not just about technology, but also about implementation expertise. Many businesses struggle to operationalize AI, creating demand for hands-on support. By stepping into this space, OpenAI and Anthropic are positioning themselves as end-to-end solution providers, bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI models and practical enterprise use cases.
Overall, this expansion signals a new phase in the enterprise AI race, where competition is no longer limited to building the best models. Instead, the focus is shifting toward who can deliver the most value in real-world business environments. As a result, traditional IT services firms may face increasing disruption, while AI companies evolve into full-scale enterprise technology partners.
