Salesforce's AI Chief Departs Amid Ambitious Push for Billion AI Agents

Salesforce Loses AI Chief Amid Major Push for Autonomous Agents - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

Marc Benioff targets deploying a billion AI agents within a year. Salesforce Inc's CRM AI head, Clara Shih, has departed to pursue another opportunity, the Information cited a report from JMP Securities analyst Patrick Walravens. The departure coincides with Salesforce's Agentforce gaining traction, with Northland Capital Partners comparing it with Microsoft Corp MSFT. Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," held the platform responsible for the company's current upside. Also Read: Meta Hit With $841 Million EU Fine Over Antitrust Violations Tied To Facebook Marketplace Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff aims to revolutionize enterprise software by deploying AI agents to handle tasks autonomously, reducing human workloads. Benioff targets the rollout of a billion AI agents within a year, highlighting strong market demand and scalability. He believes Salesforce's secure data infrastructure will offer a competitive edge, delivering more reliable AI insights. Salesforce already leverages these AI tools internally across customer service and sales to boost productivity. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc AMD and Tesla Inc TSLA also noted the departure of their AI leaders this year. AMD's AI leader, Victor Peng, retired on August 30, 2024. Vamsi Boppana, SVP of the AI Group, took over the AMD Instinct data center AI accelerator business, enhancing his current role. In May, Tesla AI Manager Paril Jain left the EV company for his co-founded robotics company, The Bot Company. Salesforce stock surged over 29% year-to-date. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $9.33 billion, up 8%, beating the analyst estimate of $9.23 billion. It expects third-quarter revenue of $9.31 billion-$9.36 billion versus a consensus of $9.35 billion. Price Action: CRM stock is down 1.23% at $327.5 premarket at the last check on Friday. Also Read: ASML Projects Revenue Surge to $63 Billion by 2030, Eyes AI and Chip Market Boom Photo by NYCStock via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Bets Big on Billion Bots - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

CEO Marc Benioff targets deploying a billion AI agents in a year. Salesforce Inc. CRM is aggressively embracing AI in enterprise software. CEO Marc Benioff is positioning the company's AI agents as the industry's next significant evolution. The company plans to deploy software bots that can handle various tasks autonomously, aiming to streamline operations and reduce the workload for human employees. Also Read: Microsoft, Salesforce Battle Heats Up As AI Agent Technology Takes Center Stage During a recent episode of the Equity podcast, Benioff shared his vision, underscoring how this shift could reshape enterprise software as we know it. Benioff emphasized the potential of these AI agents to revolutionize productivity by extending workforce capabilities without limitations, TechCrunch reports. The Salesforce chief noted that hundreds of companies already leverage the Agentforce platform, an AI-driven tool enabling autonomous task execution across business functions. He set an ambitious target of deploying a billion AI agents within a year, showcasing this technology's scalability and market demand. Benioff shared a personal example from a recent visit to a Disney park, using the company's virtual tour guide feature. The AI agent analyzed historical ride preferences and current park traffic, suggesting customized itineraries. This personalized approach demonstrated how AI can enhance user experiences across different sectors, including entertainment, retail, and healthcare. While Salesforce continues to develop its Agentforce platform, Benioff criticized Microsoft Corp's MSFT AI offerings and expressed skepticism about Microsoft's Copilot agents. He cited user complaints and research indicating security and functionality issues with Microsoft's solutions. Despite the rise of new AI-focused startups, Benioff remains confident in Salesforce's position. Benioff emphasized that Salesforce's secure data infrastructure sets it apart, enabling more reliable AI-driven insights and services. As part of its growth strategy, Salesforce uses its own AI agents internally across various departments, including customer service and sales. Northland Capital Partners said Salesforce's AgentForce platform is "on par" with Microsoft. Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," praised Salesforce for its innovative AI product, Agentforce, crediting the tool for driving the recent surge in the company's stock. Cramer shared his views on X, describing Agentforce as "pretty revolutionary." He pointed out that the stock's upward movement aligns with the impact of this cutting-edge AI solution and highlighted it as the most effective AI use case he has seen, validating the stock's rally. Salesforce stock surged over 33% year-to-date. Investors can gain exposure to the stock through SPDR Select Sector Fund - Technology XLK and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF VTI. Price Action: CRM stock is down 2.18% at $334.28 at the last check on Thursday. Also Read: Disney Q4 Earnings: Revenue And Profit Beat, Best Film Studio Performance, 3-Year Outlook And More Photo by NYCStock via Shutterstock This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Jim Cramer Says Salesforce Agentforce Is The Best Use Of AI He Has Seen: 'Makes Sense That The Stock Has Gone Up So Much' - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC's "Mad Money," lauded Salesforce.com Inc. CRM for its innovative artificial intelligence product, Agentforce, and attributed the company's stock surge to this development. What Happened: On Monday, Cramer took to X to express his admiration for Salesforce's Agentforce, calling it "pretty revolutionary." He also noted that the stock's significant rise was a logical outcome of this groundbreaking AI application. "The best use of AI that I have seen and it makes sense that the stock has gone up so much," he said. Agentforce is an AI tool designed to automate various business functions, such as customer service, marketing, and order management. The product has been integrated with Salesforce's Customer 360 platform, aligning with the company's broader shift towards AI-powered business automation. See Also: Lucid CEO Scrambles For Damage Control As Shares Plunge 47% This Year: 'As A Major Shareholder...Believe Me, Nobody Is More Incentivized Than Me For Success' Why It Matters: Salesforce's stock has been on a bullish run, driven by the success of Agentforce. The company's shares soared following the announcement of plans to hire over 1,000 employees to support the sales push for Agentforce. This hiring expansion was in response to the "amazing momentum" for the AI tool, with positive customer feedback since its launch. Moreover, a Golden Cross signal further fueled the stock's bullish surge, indicating a strong uptrend. This signal, combined with the growing adoption of Agentforce by companies, has propelled Salesforce into fresh bullish territory. Agentforce was launched in October and is a feature that enables companies to develop AI agents capable of autonomously performing tasks across various business functions. The product uses advanced reasoning to make decisions and execute actions, such as resolving customer inquiries and optimizing marketing campaigns. Price Action: Salesforce stock closed at $341.73, up 6.14% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock dipped 0.067%. Year-to-date, Salesforce has gained 33.42%, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Bitcoin Taps $81K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Extend Rally Over Weekend: Legendary Trader Projects Apex Crypto To Hit $125K By New Year Image Via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Salesforce's Golden Cross Sparks Bullish Surge As Companies Wield Agentforce AI Tools - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

Technicals point to a bullish opportunity as Salesforce's stock continues to outperform in the AI space. Salesforce Inc. CRM is cruising ahead, with its stock flashing a powerful Golden Cross signal, propelling the tech giant into fresh bullish territory. The crossover of its 50-day moving average rising above the 200-day average is typically seen as a green light for investors. And with shares recently trading at $310.78, up 46.96% in the past year, it's clear that Salesforce is in the fast lane. Chart created using Benzinga Pro Read Also: Marc Benioff Warns Microsoft's Copilot 'Spills Corporate Data,' Emphasizes Security Gaps Ahead Of Salesforce Agentforce Launch Agentforce: Salesforce's New AI Play But it's not just the technicals that have caught investors' attention. The launch of Agentforce, Salesforce's latest innovation, is sending ripples through the business world. Agentforce allows companies to create AI agents capable of managing tasks across various functions -- think customer support, marketing optimization, and order management -- autonomously. These agents are powered by advanced AI reasoning and are designed to perform at scale, all while seamlessly integrating into Salesforce's Customer 360 ecosystem. In other words, Salesforce is positioning itself as a leader not just in CRM, but in AI-driven business automation. Golden Cross: A Bullish Signal For CRM Stock On the technical front, Salesforce's stock is flexing its muscles. The Golden Cross, combined with a strong eight-day, 20-day and 50-day moving average performance, signals strong buying pressure. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator at 7.55 and a relative strength index (RSI) of 71.84 suggest further upward momentum, though the overbought condition implies caution for short-term traders. As Salesforce continues to evolve with cutting-edge features like Agentforce, it's no surprise that the stock is making waves. With solid fundamentals, a technical breakout, and AI innovation leading the charge, CRM investors are witnessing a potential tech giant in the making. Read Next: Fed Cuts Interest Rates, But Inflation Remains Elephant In The Room Image: Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Salesforce Shares Are Trading Higher Today: What You Need To Know - Salesforce (NYSE:CRM)

A "Golden Cross" technical indicator for Salesforce stock suggests strong upward momentum, reinforcing investor confidence. Salesforce, Inc. CRM shares are trading higher Friday. The company revealed plans to hire over 1,000 employees to support the sales push for its new AI product, Agentforce, which targets the growing demand for AI-driven automation across various business functions. Here's what you need to know. What To Know: According to Bloomberg, Agentforce is designed to help companies set up AI agents capable of performing tasks like customer service, marketing and order management autonomously. The product integrates with Salesforce's Customer 360 platform, making it part of the company's broader shift toward AI-powered business automation. Initial pricing for Agentforce is about $2 per agent conversation and Salesforce reports positive initial customer feedback. CEO Marc Benioff described the hiring expansion as a response to "amazing momentum" for the generative AI tool, noting positive customer feedback since its launch two weeks ago. In addition to these new hires, Salesforce's stock may have also gained momentum due to a "Golden Cross" technical signal, which indicates that its short-term (50-day) moving average has moved above its long-term (200-day) moving average. Benioff commented on the move, highlighting the "incredible momentum" behind Agentforce and expressing confidence in the company's ability to capture new growth opportunities in AI. CRM Price Action: Salesforce shares were up 3.59% at $321.94 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Why Nature's Miracle (NMHI) Stock Is Down 28% Image Via Shutterstock. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs