Your talent safety net.
Deployed in 48 hours.
Temporary backfill support during AI transformation—or recovery from over-correction. Elite, AI-native contractors ready to step in when you need them.
When you need backup
AI transformation creates temporary capacity gaps. Whether you're training your team on new workflows, recovering from turnover, or rebuilding after over-correction—you need support without long-term commitments.
Your team is mid-transformation.
You're rolling out AI workflows across the org. Your existing team is learning the new tools, but you need extra hands to maintain velocity while they ramp up.
A key engineer left unexpectedly.
Right after bonus season. The one who understood the legacy payment system nobody else touched. Now there's a 6-week hiring timeline and a critical deadline in 3 weeks.
You over-corrected on headcount.
The layoffs made sense on paper. But now you're discovering gaps—institutional knowledge that walked out the door. You need experienced backfill while you rebuild.
Traditional recruiting takes 6-8 weeks. Generic staffing agencies send contractors who need months to ramp up.
Your "lean machine" just became a fragile machine.
The Traditional Options (And Why They Fail)
None of these solve the real problem: you need enterprise-grade talent who can hit the ground running.
| Option | Timeline | Quality | Cost | Problem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time hiring | 8-12 weeks | Variable | High | Too slow for urgent needs |
| Generic staffing agency | 2-4 weeks | Low-Medium | High | Ramp-up time kills velocity |
| Offshore contractors | 1-2 weeks | Variable | Low | Timezone and communication friction |
| Freelancer marketplaces | 1 week | Highly variable | Medium | No vetting, no continuity |
The Fractional Safety Net
We maintain a curated bench of "10x Certified" contractors -professionals who have passed practical exams using the exact same agentic workflows that your upskilled team uses.
Define the Gap
Tell us: Role requirements, domain context, engagement type, and timeline.
- Data scientist, ML engineer, senior backend, AI-native PM
- Fintech, e-commerce, SaaS, regulated industry
- Backfill, burst capacity, expertise injection
- Immediate, 2 weeks, ongoing
Match & Deploy (48 Hours)
We pull from our vetted bench and get you started fast.
- Match on technical skills, domain experience, working style
- Provide candidate profiles and references
- Facilitate brief intro calls if desired
- Contract terms finalized and work begins
Integrate Seamlessly
Our contractors already know your workflows.
- Already know the 10x Protocol (agentic IDEs, spec-driven development)
- Ramp on your codebase using the same RAG-enabled tools
- Follow your existing processes, not their own preferences
- Include knowledge transfer as standard
Scale as Needed
Flexibility built into every engagement.
- Need them longer? Extend the engagement.
- Need more capacity? We add from the bench.
- Need to wind down? Structured knowledge transfer and exit.
Who's on the Bench
All contractors are US-based or US-timezone aligned, 10x Protocol certified, background checked, and experienced in enterprise environments.
| Role | Experience Level | Domain Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Backend Engineer | 7-15 years | Fintech, SaaS, e-commerce |
| Data Scientist / ML Engineer | 5-12 years | Finance, healthcare, retail |
| AI-Native Product Manager | 5-10 years | Technical products, platform |
| DevOps / Infrastructure | 7-12 years | Cloud-native, Kubernetes, CI/CD |
| QA Automation Specialist | 5-10 years | Playwright, Selenium, autonomous testing |
| Full-Stack Engineer | 5-12 years | React/Node, Python, cloud services |
The 10x Certification
Every contractor on our bench has passed practical exams in:
- Agentic IDE Proficiency -Cursor/Windsurf codebase navigation and multi-file editing
- Specification Writing -Converting requirements to AI-actionable specs
- Code Review Efficiency -AI-assisted PR analysis and validation
- Knowledge Transfer -Documentation and handoff protocols
Why We're Different
| Dimension | Traditional Staffing | WhatAboutAI Safety Net |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment Speed | 2-4 weeks | 48 hours |
| Protocol Alignment | None (learn your tools) | Pre-trained on your protocols |
| Domain Expertise | Generic | Finance & Tech specialty |
| Agentic Workflow Skills | Rare | Standard requirement |
| Knowledge Transfer | Optional/extra | Built into every engagement |
| Flexibility | 3-6 month minimums typical | 3-month minimum, month-to-month after |
| Integration Quality | Variable | Consistent (curated bench) |
The real value: confidence to act
This isn't just staffing. It's strategic flexibility.
For the CTO:
"You can confidently right-size your team because you have an infinite bench of elite talent on standby. We are your insurance policy against brain drain."
For the VP of Engineering:
"Aggressive automation just became low-risk. If we cut too deep anywhere, we have immediate coverage while we course-correct."
For the CHRO:
"Workforce planning becomes dynamic, not static. We're not locked into headcount decisions made 12 months ago."
The existence of the Safety Net makes our Upskilling and Automation services safer to deploy aggressively. You can move faster knowing that gaps can be filled instantly.
Real-World Scenarios
The Emergency Backfill
Situation: Your lead payment systems engineer gives two weeks notice. Critical PCI compliance work due in 4 weeks.
Traditional approach:
Panic hire. Accept whoever's available. Hope they ramp fast. Probably miss the deadline.
Safety Net approach:
- Day 1: You call us
- Day 2: We deploy a 10x Certified fintech specialist
- Week 1: They're contributing to the compliance work
- Week 4: Deadline met
- Week 8: Knowledge transferred, engagement ends or converts to full-time
The Burst Capacity
Situation: Major product launch in 6 weeks. Your lean team can handle steady-state but not launch prep intensity.
Traditional approach:
Over-hire full-time. Lay off after launch. Morale damage, institutional knowledge loss.
Safety Net approach:
- Week 1-6: Three additional engineers deployed for launch prep
- Week 7: Engagement winds down with structured handoff
- Post-launch: Your core team resumes normal operations
- Cost: Fraction of full-time hiring, zero long-term commitment
The Automation Correction
Situation: You automated the manual data entry role. But that person also did quarterly reconciliation that nobody documented.
Traditional approach:
Scramble to rebuild institutional knowledge. Miss reconciliation deadline. Regulatory risk.
Safety Net approach:
- Day 1: Deploy specialist who knows reconciliation workflows
- Week 1-2: Cover immediate reconciliation needs
- Week 3-4: Document and automate the reconciliation process properly
- Week 5+: Engagement ends, automation covers ongoing needs
Investment
Monthly Retainer
per month
Recommended for ongoing access
- 3-month minimum commitment
- Month-to-month after initial term
- Includes hours cap with overflow rate
- Priority access to bench for urgent needs
Day Rate
per day
For project-specific, short-term needs
- No minimum commitment
- Subject to availability
- Ideal for specific deliverables
- Quick engagement start
Hourly (Premium)
per hour
For advisory and specialized expertise
- No minimum commitment
- Billed in 4-hour blocks
- Architecture review, consulting
- Expert guidance on demand
Included
- • Contractor compensation
- • 10x Protocol training
- • Background check & vetting
- • Knowledge transfer protocols
- • Engagement management
Not Included
- • Hardware/equipment (client provides)
- • Travel (billed separately if required)
- • Software licenses (client provides)
- • Full-time conversion fees
- • Out-of-scope work
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between this and traditional staff augmentation?
Can contractors convert to full-time?
What if a contractor isn't working out?
Do contractors work on-site or remote?
How does knowledge transfer work?
See who's available
Tell us your current gaps -role, domain, timeline -and we'll show you who's available from our bench.
No commitment. No recruiting fees until someone's actually deployed. Just clarity on your options.
If you're planning aggressive automation or workforce changes, knowing the Safety Net exists changes the risk calculus.
Or email us directly: business@whataboutai.com
Need backup for your next move?
Tell us the gap and we'll show you who's available. No commitment until someone deploys.