Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Shifts Focus to AI Agents, Reshaping Company Strategy

Marc Benioff says Salesforce is basically starting from a 'beginners mind' mentality and going all-in on AI agents

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. When Benioff co-founded Salesforce in 1999, it was a major disruptor in the business software industry. "This is the next big transformation," he told Fortune. Benioff believes agents are the next big thing in AI. He told the outlet, "We have to pivot the whole company to agents." During the interview with Fortune, he referenced the 1997 book "The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail" and the "beginner's mind," saying, "You have to start at the beginning and think it all the way through." The billionaire also said he first realized how much AI would change everything about a decade ago. "I was like, 'Oh, fuck, AI is going to take over the world,'" Benioff told the magazine. "I need to hit the accelerator pedal -- and Salesforce was about 10 times smaller." Salesforce has already rolled out Agentforce to some of its clients for testing. During the company's Q2 earnings call last week, Benioff said it has so far been well received. "We're still going to have humans in our companies, but we're also going to have these agents," Benioff said during the call. "These agents don't require a conversational prompt to take action. You can do advanced planning, reasoning with minimal human input." Agentforce is set for a full launch in October but will also be on display at Salesforce's conference, Dreamforce, in San Francisco starting September 17. "It's not going to say, 'Welcome to Dreamforce' -- it's going to be 'Welcome to Agentforce,'" Benioff told Fortune.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Pivots Strategy To Autonomous AI Agents After Venture Capital Firm Says 'No Incumbent Is Safe:' 'It Is About Driving Through The Innovator's Dilemma' - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

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. See Also: If You Invested $1000 In Bitcoin When Eminem Mentioned The Crypto In Best-Selling Album 'Kamikaze', Here's How Much You'd Have Today 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. Read Next: Tesla Bull Ross Gerber Sets 6-Month Deadline For Elon Musk-Led EV Company To Improve Performance Or He Plans To Exit His Position: 'See The Stock As Really Overvalued' Image Via Shutterstock This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs