Salesforce is Hiring 2,000 AI Salespeople
If you've been keeping an eye on the AI space, then you know big moves are happening—and Salesforce just made one of the biggest. CEO Marc Benioff announced that Salesforce will be hiring 2,000 new employees to sell its growing lineup of AI-powered products. This is double the number of hires Salesforce had previously planned, showing just how serious the company is about its AI push.
"We’re adding another couple of thousand salespeople to help sell these products," Benioff said during a company event in San Francisco. And it looks like people are eager to join. Benioff revealed that Salesforce has already received 9,000 referrals for the 2,000 positions.
This is a significant shift for Salesforce, especially since, less than two years ago, the company laid off over 7,000 employees to adapt to changing economic conditions. As of January 2024, the company had 72,682 employees—just slightly fewer than two years earlier. Now, it’s back in growth mode, fueled by the rapid demand for AI solutions.
What’s Behind the Hiring Surge?
It all comes down to the growing demand for AI in business. Companies everywhere are looking for ways to integrate artificial intelligence into their workflows, and Salesforce is seizing the moment. As one of the leading software providers for sales reps, marketers, and customer service agents, Salesforce sees AI as a way to increase its revenue and solidify its position as a leader in the field.
AI-powered products like Salesforce's Agentforce are at the center of this strategy. This technology helps businesses create and operate AI agents that can answer complex questions in Salesforce’s Slack communications app. According to Salesforce, the next version of Agentforce will launch in February 2025, and it’s expected to be more advanced than ever.
Salesforce is already giving its users a taste of AI. The company has an experimental AI agent on its homepage that helps users find product information. It’s part of an ongoing effort to reduce the number of human-led support interactions. Currently, Salesforce's AI handles about 32,000 support chats each week, and thanks to the AI agent, only 5,000 of those are escalated to human representatives—down from 10,000 before.
Salesforce vs. Microsoft: The AI Showdown
Salesforce isn't the only big player in the AI game. Microsoft is also making moves with its "Copilot" AI tools. These tools aim to automate customer support and improve overall efficiency. However, Benioff had some strong words about Microsoft's AI strategy, suggesting that its customer support approach isn’t as visible or accessible.
"If you check Microsoft’s website to see how it is automating customer support, you can’t find it," Benioff said.
Of course, Microsoft had something to say about that. Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for AI, fired back, saying, "It’s so interesting Benioff said that, given Microsoft runs one of the world’s largest customer support teams — and we’ve been customer zero for Copilot from the very start."
According to Spataro, Microsoft’s Copilot is already driving big improvements. It has helped speed up case resolution times by 11.5% and boosted sales revenue per seller by 9.4%.
Why This Matters
The surge in AI-powered tools isn't just a passing trend. It's a sign of where the future of work is headed. Companies like Salesforce and Microsoft are making huge investments in AI to automate workflows, improve customer support, and increase business efficiency.
For Salesforce, these 2,000 new hires are part of a bigger picture. As the demand for AI in business grows, the company is making sure it has the people and tools in place to stay ahead of the curve.
What This Means for You
If you’re interested in the field of artificial intelligence, this news is a sign of opportunity. The significance of artificial intelligence in business is growing fast, and companies are hiring like never before. Whether you're curious about the qualifications for a career in AI or wondering about the basic requirements for artificial intelligence jobs, now might be the time to explore your options.
Salesforce’s decision to double its hiring goal shows that AI is more than just a buzzword. It’s a critical part of modern business strategy. So, if you’ve been considering a career in AI or you're interested in learning more about software requirements for artificial intelligence, the time to act is now.
With 2,000 new roles opening up at Salesforce and other companies like Microsoft continuing to push their AI agendas, the future of AI in business looks incredibly bright.
