Editorial
The Gist
- Revolutionizing CRM. Salesforce’s generative AI transforms CRM from a system of record to a system of engagement, enhancing how businesses interact with customers.
- AI-driven transformation. Salesforce’s generative AI agents automate workflows, enhancing productivity and reducing the need for human intervention.
- Disruptive innovation. Generative AI is reshaping customer engagement and operational structures, forcing companies to rethink workforce strategies.
Salesforce executives at a recent press event painted a picture of an intelligent, informed virtual support agent that could dramatically alter how sales and service are conducted, signaling an evolution in the agent strategy that could redefine the value Salesforce products provide.
Is the CRM leader shaking things up this much with generative AI? Will sales and customer experience be altered by "intelligent agents?" We'll see. And we'll hear a lot more at the upcoming massive Dreamforce conference this month in Salesforce Country — San Francisco.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how businesses engage with customers, offering highly personalized experiences tailored to individual needs. The upcoming book "Personalization" emphasizes the importance of a cohesive, intelligent system that evolves through continuous innovation, testing and feedback.
By integrating AI into marketing strategies, companies can deliver seamless, customized experiences. However, as AI advances, it raises questions about the future of work, particularly the potential displacement of entry-level white-collar jobs. While some argue for a collaborative human-AI approach, as seen in "The AI-Savvy Leader" by David De Cremer, others, like Terrence Sejnowski in "ChatGPT and the Future of AI," highlight the dual nature of technology — its capacity to displace old roles while creating new opportunities.
The Wakeup Call in CRM for Salesforce
Salesforce, like many, has been heavily invested in traditional AI and data modeling, but the emergence of ChatGPT was a wake-up call, prompting a strategic pivot. Additionally, as Sejnowski indicates, it brings down the cost of learning while eliminating the need to program each AI application.
For this reason, it is no surprise that seizing on the disruptive potential of ChatGPT led to a significant reevaluation of Salesforce's approach. Adapting to this shift took time, but it ultimately reshaped its strategy, aligning Salesforce more closely with the rapidly evolving AI landscape. In this evolving landscape, Salesforce believes intelligent agents are poised to play a crucial role in reshaping customer experience and the future of work.
It was interesting that last week that Josh Brown, a CNBC commentator, said that the real winner of generative AI should be Salesforce. He said after all, what companies want to do with data and AI is to use customer and service data to transform how they serve customers.
Let’s face that generative AI has the potential to move CRM from a system of record to a system of engagement with customers. This will change up the value proposition of CRM fundamentally.
We already know how invested Salesforce is in AI and customer support. Case in point: this week's acquisition of Tenyx, which provides AI-powered voice agents.
Related Article: A New Era of AI Transformation in the CRM Industry Arrives
Generative AI Meets CX With Salesforce Agentforce
The rise of generative AI is seen as impacting Salesforce by augmenting its customers-facing roles while simultaneously transforming and, in some cases, absorbing jobs tied to front-office and back-office processes. Generative AI promises to streamline and enhance productivity, making certain tasks more efficient and freeing up human resources for more strategic roles.
However, it also presents a challenge as it will inevitably disrupt traditional workflows, necessitating a rethinking of job functions and organizational structures. Salesforce customers can integrate generative AI into their operations, balancing the benefits of automation with the evolving needs of their workforce.
This new initiative is labeled "Agentforce," something Salesforce will be talking a lot about at Dreamforce this month. It's also something the company tipped off via its highest-ranking employee: Marc Benioff's post on X about Agentforce, specifically.
Introducing Einstein Service Agent on Salesforce's new Agentforce Platform! Experience intelligent customer support with seamless collaboration between digital & human workers for rapid case resolution.
— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) July 5, 2024
🔹 Seamless transfer & human handoffs across all channels
🔹 No writing… pic.twitter.com/I163vIjg0w
Enter Generative AI Agents
At a recent Salesforce press event in San Francisco, the company revealed how it's integrating intelligent generative AI agents to add value to their existing product portfolio. These agents can do advanced planning and reasoning with minimal human input, without a conversational prompt. They can automate entire workflows and processes from start to finish, make decisions and adapt to new information, all without human intervention.
Executives emphasized the implications of generative AI for data, CRM and Salesforce's Slack, highlighting how these innovations are set to transform core business processes. Tableau, another Salesforce company, recently demonstrated this with Pulse for Salesforce, a tool built on Salesforce's Einstein 1 Platform and powered by generative AI. This tool represents a step toward embedding intelligence directly into the flow of work.
However, the most intriguing development discussed at this press event was how generative AI would impact Salesforce's core businesses — CRM and Slack. An executive introduced the concept of Intelligent Agents, built on various generative AI solutions, including a budding partnership with Anthropic. This initiative aims to revolutionize B2B sales, particularly by transforming the role of sales development representatives (SDRs), who traditionally handle tele-sales.
One compelling example shared was the idea of a virtual SDR, an agent attached to a sales representative. Virtual agents will also be integrated into Slack and the organization's structure, powered by several large language model (LLM) partners. The impact of these agents is expected to be profound, influencing not just sales but also marketing and customer service.
Generative AI Impacts on How We Work
The impact of generative AI on the workplace is expected to fundamentally change not only what people do but also how they do it. Slack, increasingly the hub where work gets done, is set to become a critical platform for this transformation. The integration of generative AI-powered agents within Slack, particularly for backend processes, will offer businesses a significant advantage, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.
This shift is poised to transform how companies’ function, with the potential for every business function to be supported by a specialized AI agent. The possibilities are vast, from automating routine tasks to offering advanced decision-making support, fundamentally reshaping the roles within organizations. One executive even joked about whether roles like the chief revenue officer would remain relevant, hinting at the disruptive potential of these technologies.
As these intelligent agents become more embedded in the fabric of work, companies will need to rethink their strategies, hierarchies and workflows. The transformation brought by generative AI isn't just about doing things faster — it's about redefining what needs to be done in the first place, paving the way for a new era of business operations.
Related Article: Generative AI Will Reduce 30% of Customer Service and Support Agents
Generative AI Agents Redefine Business and Workforce Strategies
The integration of generative AI and intelligent agents into Salesforce’s ecosystem marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of business, sales and marketing operations. Other companies are developing intelligent agents like IBM for other corporate functions.
As AI reshapes how companies engage with customers and manage internal business processes, the ripple effects are being felt across industries. Salesforce’s strategic pivot towards generative AI demonstrates the immense potential of these technologies to not only enhance efficiency but to redefine the very nature of work.
The winners in this new landscape will be those who successfully build and navigate rich digital ecosystems, where AI seamlessly connects various business functions, driving innovation and value creation. As organizations adopt these intelligent agents, they must also reconsider their workforce strategies, organizational structures and the roles of key leaders.
Webinar
Sep
25
CMS Briefing: A Live Look at What’s Next in AI-Driven Platforms
Learn how leading organizations are using AI‑driven tools to publish faster, personalize smarter and stay secure.
Register
Webinar
On demand
Ready or Not: How Data-First Organizations Are Unlocking Agentforce Potential
Learn how to cut through the noise, activate Agentforce and build a Salesforce AI strategy that actually delivers.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
AI in Customer Service: Faster Resolutions, Happier Customers
Don’t let rising demand burn out your team. See how to build a smarter, more resilient support org.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
From Hype to High-Impact CX Strategies That Actually Scale
Turn buzzworthy AI and outsourcing trends into measurable CX wins with fresh 2025 data.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Insights to Action Rethinking the Contact Center for Real Business Impact
Join our exclusive webinar to hear CX executives share their innovative strategies for transforming service delivery.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Accelerating Healthcare Ops with AI
Sign up to see how your peers are putting AI to work — and making it stick.
Watch Now
The future of work, as shaped by generative AI, will not just be about doing things better — it will be about doing things differently, setting the stage for a new era of business excellence.
Learn how you can join our contributor community.
