一 | 上周发了一篇文章，给大家介绍了智能体时代的翻红岗位：FDE。 Editor's Note:
In an era of profound global shifts and increasingly complex regional dynamics, a proper understanding of the world must be rooted in "grounded experience" and localized insights. Global Times English edition, in collaboration with the Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies, Communication University of China, is proud to launch "Local Insights," an English-language column dedicated to original, field-based observations.
We invite Chinese scholars and professionals who are studying, conducting exchanges, or working outside China, as well as international students and friends living and studying in China who are familiar with the social contexts of their home countries or third countries, to begin from first-hand field experience and engage with social, cultural, and contemporary issues beyond China. In the fifth article of this column, drawing on her on‑the‑ground experience as a Chinese exchange scholar, the author observes a South Africa Freedom Day memorial gathering, revealing how local politics unfolds through collective singing, dancing, and grassroots participation, while also reflecting on the gap between political liberation and economic justice.
As a PhD student, I am currently on an exchange program at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, with support from the China Scholarship Council. Since arriving here, I have developed a habit of stepping beyond campus whenever possible. Community meetings, municipal events and public gatherings have become a vital way for me to engage with local life. This time, a local friend recommended that I attend a memorial event in Kariega, organized by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in honor of its former president, Phumzile John Gomomo. Beyond that, I had little sense of what kind of gathering I was about to enter.
It was on the way that I noticed the streets were unusually vibrant. Groups of people were dressed in colorful attire, with bright Xhosa headscarves and garments bearing political symbols. My friend then reminded me that it was April 27, which is Freedom Day in South Africa. On this day in 1994, South Africa held its first non-racial election, formally ending apartheid and inaugurating democratic rule. Over the past three decades, Freedom Day commemorates political liberation, while also inviting recurring reflection on whether the promise of freedom has been fully realized. In that sense, Freedom Day marks an important moment for observing contemporary South African politics and social sentiment.
From street to hall: Entering Freedom Day
The event was scheduled to begin at 10 am, and we arrived shortly before the hour. Yet there were not many people present. Banners of COSATU, the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the African National Congress (ANC) had already been displayed inside the hall, quietly framing the political context of the gathering. Although my understanding was still limited, I could already sense that their presence mattered. COSATU, SACP and ANC represent key forces in South Africa's political landscape, historically linked through the "Tripartite Alliance" formed during the anti-apartheid struggle and sustained in various forms since 1994. I could see that this was not simply a local gathering, but one embedded within a much longer political tradition.
What struck me first was how different the atmosphere was from what I had expected of a political gathering. There was no sense of urgency or visible tension. My friend introduced me around, and we greeted each other through handshakes, embraces and brief conversations, with a familiarity that suggested long-standing connections. Someone also greeted me with "ni hao." The early autumn wind carried a chill that felt almost like winter. However, the mood was unmistakably different. A sense of warmth emerged from the way people related to one another.
We took our seats in the front row. As I looked around, the hall was gradually filling up. I noticed that people wore headscarves, skirts and short-sleeved shirts layered under heavier coats, with ANC insignia visible in various forms. Every time I made eye contact with someone, they would respond with a warm smile. Even as the only foreign face in the hall, I felt no sense of awkwardness or exclusion.
When music preceded speech
The atmosphere felt far more open than I had imagined. There was no formal signal from a host. Yet, almost imperceptibly, singing and dancing began to fill the space. At first, it was only a few voices. Then others joined. A group of older women stood up, stepping lightly as their bodies moved with the rhythm. Their arms tracing steady patterns in the air, moved with an ease that suggested a deep sense of rhythm. Around them, others began to join in. Someone clapped, someone responded in song, while others stepped forward into the center, aligning themselves with the unfolding rhythm.
Before I fully understood what was happening, someone gently pulled me into the group. I followed, trying to imitate the movements. It didn't take long for me to realize that participation did not depend on learning the steps. Once inside, you were already part of it.
Meanwhile, a more distinct call began to emerge, repeated at intervals: "Amandla" (Power) "Awethu" (To the People). The words rose above the singing and then dissolved back into it. Song, chant and movement overlapped, making it difficult to distinguish where one ended and another began. At that moment, I found myself wondering: was this a political gathering, or a celebration?
It was not until around midday that the event formally began. Speakers gradually took their places, and the hall shifted into a more structured atmosphere. What I did not expect, however, was that the mayor I had followed on social media was among those arriving. Seeing her there came as a surprise. I didn't expect to see local officials there, let alone find myself within what was clearly part of their political life.
The memorial lecture brought together members of the ANC, alliance partners and the broader community in a moment of reflection and renewed commitment. The gathering honored the enduring legacy of Phumzile John Gomomo and his immense contribution to the struggle for workers' rights and social justice.
They reflected on Cde John Gomomo as one of the most dedicated worker leaders produced by the Congress Movement, emphasizing unity, organization and ongoing activism as essential to advancing the goals of the democratic movement. Gomomo was an icon in the labor movement. He devoted his entire life to serving workers and is remembered as a hero of the struggle for freedom, democracy and workers' rights. His contributions were situated within the broader historical moment of South Africa's transition to democracy - a transition whose achievements are commemorated each year on Freedom Day, marking the political liberation attained in 1994.
The lecture also raised a question that resonated widely: when political freedom was achieved, did it also translate into economic freedom? Gomomo's legacy was not only invoked as history, but also a lens through which to examine the present.
Speakers highlighted the ongoing challenges facing workers today, including high unemployment and the rising cost of living, which continue to strain working-class households. Against this backdrop, unity, organization and sustained activism were presented not as symbolic gestures, but as necessary responses.
The themes of the lecture aligned closely with the spirit of International Workers' Day, linking past struggles with present realities and ongoing demands. In this sense, the lecture stood not only as a tribute, but also as a call to action, urging those in attendance to carry forward the values, discipline and commitment that defined his life of service.
After each speaker delivered their speech, people rose from their seats, singing and clapping. The officials on stage joined in as well, blurring the distinction between speaker and audience. The atmosphere remained lively, with an almost continuous sense of energy. Gradually, I began to realize that the event was not simply a commemorative one, but rather a form of political practice.
What stood out to me was that the mayor mentioned China in her speech. She spoke of the strong relationship between China and South Africa, noting the presence of Chinese automotive companies in Nelson Mandela Bay and expressing hope for further cooperation. After her speech, I was invited to take a photo with her. She shook my hand, welcomed me as an international student in South Africa, and expressed her positive view of China.
I also had a brief exchange with Xolile Nqatha, the provincial secretary of the SACP in Eastern Cape. Reflecting on the history of leftist movements in South Africa, he noted that both the SACP and the Communist Party of China were founded in 1921. He also remarked that it remains rare to see Chinese scholars present at such gatherings. I had not imagined that I would be speaking with government officials, which initially caught me off guard. For me, this brief encounter made China's presence in South Africa feel less like a matter of diplomatic language and more like something embedded in local political life.
The event continued until around 3 pm. As I stepped outside, the surrounding streets were noticeably more crowded. The parking area was nearly full. Roadside vendors were selling clothing marked with political symbols, and media crews remained on site, documenting the scene. People left gradually. Many paused to exchange farewells, embracing one another before leaving, as if the rhythm of the gathering had not yet fully ended.
The experience reshaped my understanding of what a political gathering could be. In a global context where political expression is increasingly fragmented, a mode of public engagement built around rhythm and participation offers a different way of understanding political life. Here, politics did not take shape solely through institutions, procedures or formal speech. It could be serious, yet also warm. It could be articulated through language, but it could just as readily take shape through song, movement and collective response.
This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the end of apartheid. It represents the restoration of dignity, equality before the law and the collective promise that South Africa would never again be a society governed by exclusion, injustice or oppression. In the community, I saw how residents engaged with the local government, participated in decision-making processes and worked collectively to build safer, more inclusive neighborhoods. For me, the gathering became an entry point into contemporary political life in South Africa, revealing something that cannot be fully grasped from a distance.
The author is a PhD student in African Area Studies at the College of Foreign Languages, Zhejiang Normal University
。
评论区炸了，大家纷纷吐槽↓
“这不就是驻场开发？”
“这不就是软件外包吗？”
实际上，它们的区别挺大，今天我们就详细掰扯一下。
FDE，Forward Deployed Engineer，前沿部署工程师，最近一年成了科技圈最热的新名词之一。
这个源自Palantir的岗位模式，如今被OpenAI、A社等头部AI公司争相复制，国内的大模型厂商和AI创业公司也纷纷挂出类FDE的招聘，薪资数字一个比一个夸张。
甚至，在今年1月上海市政府的“AI+制造”行动方案里，都明确写了要培育“前沿部署工程师”队伍。
FDE确实长期驻扎在客户现场、也要做大量定制化工作，同时要直面客户的琐碎需求。
这三个特征，和国内延续了二十多年的软件外包、驻场开发看起来一毛一样。
但是，就好比外科医生和屠夫都拿刀，没人认为他们是同行。
判断他们的区别，不能只看动作，要看服务对象、工作目标、能力要求、对产品和项目的影响力等多个因素。
01、出发点，有本质区别
软件外包：交付项目。
按合同做完需求，项目结束人也结束，重点是完成合同。
二 | 驻场开发：补充人力。 人坐在客户办公室，日常由客户安排，几乎不影响产品方向。 FDE：让AI产品真正跑起来。
三 | 代表AI产品或平台公司去现场，让产品融入客户业务流程，产生真实价值。 客户买了AI智能体平台，上线发现业务系统接不上、知识库效果差、工作流跑不通…… FDE就需要到场解决问题，直接写适配器、调提示词、改工作流，更难的是客户也许还没想清楚怎么跟业务系统对接，FDE要负责抽丝剥茧，跟客户共创。 如果多个客户有同样问题，就把能力沉淀进产品，下个版本所有客户受益。
四 | 02、能力门槛，不在一个量级 ①AI开发能力： 传统外包开发通常掌握的是：Java、.NET、Python、Vue、Spring Boot、SQL……完成业务开发基本足够。
五 | FDE要理解AI应用开发，例如：提示词工程、Agengt、MCP、RAG、Tool /Function Calling、工作流、上下文工程… 甚至，还要了解模型选型与评测、Token成本优化、推理性能调优… 这些能力，传统开发一般涉及不到。
六 | ②系统与产品能力： AI项目大量时间花在对接客户系统上。
七 | 要接ERP、CRM、飞钉、Jira、Salesforce、知识库、BI…… 所以，FDE还要会REST API、OAuth、Webhook、MCP Server等等。 更重要的是，还要对这些业务系统有所了解。 ③解决未知问题的能力： 传统开发面对Bug已知、需求明确、路径固定，可能每天都在重复救火。 FDE面对的问题往往没有标准答案：模型为什么幻觉？Agent为什么死循环？Prompt为什么昨天有效今天就不中了？每天都要面对新闻体。 ④客户沟通表达能力： 既要懂技术语言，又要懂业务语言。
八 | 同一天要和CIO讲ROI，给业务讲流程，给运维讲部署，给家里的产品研发讲功能改进和代码优化，随时切换。 有个词，大家可能不太喜欢，叫拉通对齐，但这是FDE很重要的能力，把前端客户和后方的产研拉通对齐。 ⑤产品沉淀能力： 外包项目结束，代码留在客户那里，经验归零。 FDE要有顶层视角，今天帮A客户连接业务应用，明天整理成SDK，下周变成官方插件，一个月后内化进标准产品，赋能所有客户。 03、为何FDE门槛更高？ 我们可以把三类岗位看成三种不同的人才模型： 软件外包：开发专家，擅长按照需求实现功能。
九 | 驻场开发：开发+协作，能够融入客户团队，完成项目开发。 FDE：产品经理 × 架构师 × AI工程师 × 交付负责人 × 业务顾问 他们需要在一个项目中，切换多种角色，最终让AI产品融入客户业务，并产生价值。
十 | 因此，FDE的竞争力来自跨越研发、产品、客户和AI应用之间的综合能力。 写到最后，再谈谈“污名化”本身。 FDE其实承受着两种方向相反的污名。 第一种是向下的污名化↓ 把FDE粗暴等同于驻场外包，认定这只是旧酒装新瓶的包装术，忽视了FDE在AI产品落地中的真正价值。 第二种污名化方向相反，却更加普遍↓ 大量传统外包和售前岗位，正在把自己改名为FDE。 岗位描述换了，工作本质没变，没有产品可反哺，没有经验能沉淀，还是按人头收钱。 当市场上九成的“FDE”都是外包换皮时，真FDE也会被拖下水，“高级外包”的帽子反而被坐实了。
十一 | 如果一个吹竽团队里，都是南郭先生，那真正的吹竽高手反而成了另类。 所以，我们要把那些假FDE揪出来↓： ①这家公司有自己的产品平台吗？没有产品承接现场改动的，是外包。 ②现场经验能沉淀成可复用的能力吗？每个项目都从零开始的，是外包。 ③按什么收钱？按人头和工时计费的，是外包。敢按业务成果定价的，才是FDE。 最后，AI智能体落地正酣，让我们把一切留给时间。
Current article:http://www.chenzhuaigecoupuhongyuntuizei.sbs/rcm5/20260826/581058.xls
Published on:16:50:22
