The FDE bootcamp and the GenAI and Agentic AI BootCamp both teach you to build AI agents, both end with enterprise capstones, and their prices per live hour are within a few dollars of each other. If you put the two syllabi side by side, the overlap looks large enough that you could reasonably wonder why both exist.
They exist because they prepare you for different jobs. One trains you to build agentic systems well. The other trains you to build them and then get them adopted inside a client’s business, which is a different set of problems. This post lays out the differences so you can pick based on the job you want, not the module titles.
The one-line difference
The GenAI and Agentic AI BootCamp goes deeper on how agents work. The AI Forward Deployed Engineer BootCamp goes wider, adding the client-facing half of the work: discovery calls, enterprise integrations, governance, and getting a solution approved.
Side by side
| GenAI and Agentic AI BootCamp | AI FDE BootCamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Total hours | 74 (64+ live, 10 self-paced) | 90 (80 live, 10 self-paced) |
| Length | 8 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Capstones built live | 2, plus 6 more briefs on GitHub | 5, plus 3 more briefs on GitHub |
| Evaluation | Capstone, no exam | Capstones, no exam |
| Prerequisite | Python for AI pre-work; aimed at experienced IT professionals | Python for AI pre-work (6 hours); aimed at technical people moving into client-facing roles |
| US price | $2,000 | $2,200 |
| India price | ₹85,000 | ₹1,25,000 |
| Cost per live hour (US) | about $31 | about $28 |
The FDE BootCamp runs 16 more live hours and builds 3 more capstones live
Source: AgileFever program pages, October 2026.
Additional discounts are available. Contact us to know more.
What only the GenAI and Agentic AI BootCamp covers
This program spends its extra depth on the mechanics of agents. Topics you won’t find in the FDE syllabus:
- Fine-tuning with LoRA and QLoRA, multimodal models, and document intelligence such as OCR and invoice extraction
- Separate modules on agent memory and on planning and reasoning
- Agent communication protocols: MCP, A2A, and ACP, and when each fits
- Agent-as-a-Service, turning an agent into something a business can sell
- Building agents in Microsoft Foundry, toward a Microsoft Learn badge
- A recorded n8n module for no-code workflows
What only the FDE BootCamp covers
The FDE program condenses the AI building blocks into fewer modules and spends the time it saves on delivery:
- The FDE role itself: discovery calls, requirements documents, ROI framing, and prioritizing use cases, with mock discovery practice
- Hands-on integration with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Salesforce, Jira, ServiceNow, and Slack, using OAuth, webhooks, REST, and MCP
- Enterprise security and governance: RBAC, secrets, audit logging, and compliance
- Executive demos, adoption workshops, and handling objections
Even the capstones show the split. Both programs share the same eight business scenarios, such as insurance claims processing and IT service desk resolution. In the GenAI program you build the agentic system. In the FDE program, each one is framed as deploying that system at a specific client, like “Deploying Claims Processing at a General Insurer”, with the stakeholder and rollout work that implies.
Which one fits you
| If this sounds like you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| You want to be the engineer who designs and builds agentic systems | GenAI and Agentic AI |
| You enjoy the technical depth more than client meetings | GenAI and Agentic AI |
| You’re a solution architect, pre-sales engineer, or consultant | AI FDE |
| You’re already in a customer-facing technical role and want to deliver AI | AI FDE |
| Your work involves Salesforce, ServiceNow, or SharePoint integrations | AI FDE |
| You can only commit 8 weeks, not 10 | GenAI and Agentic AI |
If you’re still unsure, ask yourself which part of a project you’d rather own. If it’s the moment the system works, take the GenAI program. If it’s the moment the client signs off and starts using it, take the FDE program.
Can you take both?
You can, but you’ll repeat a fair amount. Both cover LLMs, RAG, agents, multi-agent systems with LangGraph and CrewAI, evaluation, and cloud deployment. If you want both skill sets, pick the program closest to the job you want now. The other one will feel like review for about half its length.
FAQ
Which one pays more?
It depends on the role and market more than the course. Forward deployed engineer roles often pay a premium because they combine engineering with client work. The FDE salary guide has current ranges.
Is one harder than the other?
The GenAI program is denser per week on technical material. The FDE program is longer and asks you to practice skills that make many engineers uncomfortable, like running a discovery call.
Do both include career support?
Yes. Both include resume, LinkedIn, and GitHub reviews, mock interviews, and access to recordings after the program.
What to read next
For the full details of each program, see GenAI and Agentic AI BootCamp: The Complete Guide and Forward Deployed Engineer Course: The Complete Guide. If you’re not sure the FDE role suits you, What Is a Forward Deployed Engineer? explains the job.
