Kinetic IT launches AI engineering division with Sete

Kinetic IT has launched an AI Engineering & Platforms division and appointed Marcio Sete to lead it. The new unit is aimed at government and critical infrastructure organisations in Australia.

The division sits within the Office of the Chief Transformation Officer and shifts Kinetic IT's AI work from advisory services to direct deployment inside customer operations. Its model places senior AI engineers within client environments to design, build and roll out AI systems for day-to-day use.

Kinetic IT will initially recruit four Forward Deployed Engineers to work with customers in aviation, utilities, government and resources, spanning organisations that operate across more than 2,600 sites nationally.

The move reflects a broader push by service providers to turn AI projects from trials into operational systems, particularly in sectors with strict security, governance and reliability requirements. For government agencies and essential service operators, the challenge is often less about identifying potential uses for AI than integrating the technology into complex existing systems.

Kishore Jayaram, Chief Transformation Officer at Kinetic IT, said, "Organisations want practical outcomes from AI, not more proof of concepts. They are looking for trusted partners who understand their operations and can help deploy AI safely within complex, mission-critical environments.

"AI Engineering & Platforms extends Kinetic IT's ability to support customers through this next stage of adoption. By embedding experienced engineers alongside customer teams, we can help organisations solve real operational challenges while maintaining the security, governance and reliability expected across government and critical infrastructure."

Sete joins Kinetic IT with experience in AI, data and platform engineering across large organisations. He will build the engineering team and work with customers on production deployments.

Embedded model

The Forward Deployed Engineer approach places technical staff alongside operational and business teams rather than in a separate advisory role. The model has gained traction in parts of the technology sector as companies try to shorten the gap between software design and implementation in the field.

Kinetic IT is targeting customers that manage complex operational estates and regulated environments. By placing engineers in those settings, it aims to address issues such as system integration, operational fit and internal governance at the point of deployment.

Sete described that gap as a recurring issue for organisations trying to move beyond experimentation.

He said, "Many organisations already know where AI could create value. The challenge isn't identifying opportunities, it's turning them into secure, production-ready solutions that work within complex operational environments.

"Forward Deployed Engineers close that gap. Rather than advising from the outside, they become part of the customer's team, working alongside engineers, operators and business leaders to design, build and deploy AI where it creates measurable operational value. It's a collaborative engineering model that helps organisations move from experimentation to production with greater confidence."

Sector focus

Kinetic IT has long worked across government, defence and critical infrastructure, where technology projects tend to face close scrutiny around sovereignty, security and operational resilience. The new division shows how managed services and consulting groups are reshaping their AI offerings around deployment and integration rather than strategy alone.

This is particularly relevant in industries such as aviation, utilities and resources, where operational technology environments can be fragmented across large physical footprints. Rolling out AI in those settings often requires engineers to work directly with frontline systems and teams rather than through central innovation or strategy functions.

For Kinetic IT, the new division also creates a distinct organisational home for AI engineering. Housing it under the transformation office suggests the company sees AI as part of broader operational change programs rather than as a standalone technical service.

Sete's appointment takes effect immediately.