Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce CRM, has announced a significant shift towards autonomous artificial intelligence agents, named Agentforce. The announcement was made ahead of the company’s annual Dreamforce conference.
What Happened: Benioff emphasized the importance of “beginner's mind” as Salesforce pivots to Agentforce. This platform aims to allow users to create and deploy AI-powered agents that automate customer service tasks, the Fortune reported on Thursday.
Benioff’s announcement comes in response to a critical blog post by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which questioned Salesforce’s ability to stay competitive in the generative AI era. The blog post suggested that AI would fundamentally transform sales technology, posing a threat to established companies.
“It is about driving through the innovator's dilemma. The only way you're going to do that is with shoshin, a beginner's mind. You have to start at the beginning and think it all the way through,” said Benioff, according to the report.
Salesforce, known for its customer relationship management software, is now focusing on AI to maintain its market position. Benioff mentioned that the company has already begun testing Agentforce with several companies, including Wiley and Open Table.
Benioff remains optimistic, stating that Salesforce is well-prepared for this AI-driven transformation. He highlighted the company’s strategic acquisitions and investments in AI startups as part of their preparation for this new wave of technology.
Why It Matters: The shift towards AI agents is not Salesforce’s first foray into AI. In November, Benioff attempted to recruit talent from OpenAI, sparking varied reactions online.
In January, Benioff highlighted the issue of AI companies using media content without permission, emphasizing the ethical considerations in AI development. This stance further underscores Salesforce’s proactive approach to navigating the AI landscape.
Benioff also discussed with Jim Cramer how Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot stands out in AI utilization, hinting at future acquisitions to sustain growth. This aligns with the company’s strategy of leveraging AI to enhance its product offerings.
Most recently, in August, Salesforce shares surged over 4% after a strong quarterly performance. Jim Cramer described this as a “real deal acceleration,” while Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin remained cautious.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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