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Sales force It unveiled a major update to its artificial intelligence platform on Tuesday, including technology that allows AI agents to perform deeper reasoning and take more autonomous actions across enterprise workflows – part of the the CEO of the company frames it as an ambitious initiative into “digital work.”
The San Francisco software giant Task force 2.0 represents a major evolution in how AI assistants work within businesses, moving beyond simple chatbots to AI agents that can understand complex requests, access relevant company data, and perform multi-step tasks independently.
“We're creating a new business,” said Marc Benioff, Salesforce's chief executive, at a press conference announcing the news. “This is no longer just about managing and sharing information and data. We are a digital labor provider.”
How Atlas Reasoning Engine Powers Next-Gen Enterprise AI
The improved platform includes what Salesforce calls the Atlas Reason Enginewhich allows AI agents to engage in more sophisticated analysis and decision-making. Unlike traditional AI assistants that provide quick answers based on pattern matching, Atlas employs “system 2” reasoning – a more deliberative approach inspired by psychologist Daniel Kahneman's research into human thought processes.
“The reasoning engine should be one of the first things enterprise organizations consider when comparing digital labor options,” said Claire Cheng, Ph.D., Vice President of Learning tools and engineering at Salesforce.
Early results appear promising. In testing, Agentforce 2.0 achieved a 33% improvement in response accuracy compared to DIY AI solutions, while doubling response relevance, according to Salesforce.
The company has already installed the technology internally. At help.salesforce.comAI agents now handle 83% of customer support questions independently, with human augmentation dropping 50% since implementation two weeks ago.
“All of a sudden, as a CEO, I'm not only managing human beings, but I'm also managing agents,” Benioff said. “There is a proven agent level around the platform today. It's not some vision of the future, it's what's happening right now. “
Digital labor: The key to solving global workforce challenges
Salesforce's push into “digital labor” comes amid growth labor shortage across industries. With birth rates declining and companies struggling to fill positions, Benioff sees AI agents as a critical solution to business growth.
“To unlock GDP growth, we need advanced technology. We need to be a digital labor provider,” he said. “This is the new vision for business – this idea that a door has opened and business will never be the same.”
The technology is already finding real-world applications. The Adecco Groupa global staffing company, using Agentforce to process millions of resumes and match candidates to opportunities. Digital record maker amazing being used for customer service, while an accounting firm 1-800 Accountant expects to avoid 65% of incoming service requests using AI agents.
Behind the technology: The innovation powering Salesforce's AI revolution
Under the hood, Agentforce 2.0 includes several technical advancements. The Atlas of engine reasoning creating a detailed semantic understanding of company data and processes, enabling more contextual responses.
“We can associate each data component with contextual metadata information, which allows us to find the mapping between data and the corresponding semantic meaning,” explains Silvio Savarese, who heads Salesforce's AI research. “This allows for much more relevant and aligned answers to consumer questions.”
The platform will also include better integration with Slack, Salesforce's workplace messaging platform, allowing employees to collaborate with AI agents directly in their communication streams.
“If you want these agents to be used, to be involved, and you want them to improve over time, it's essential that they be where people are already working,” said Rob Seaman, who leads Slack integration.
Looking ahead, Salesforce plans to expand into physical robots, with Benioff announcing plans for a “robot force partner program” to connect physical robots with the company's AI agent platform.
Trust, security, and the future: Navigating the integration of enterprise AI
For Salesforce, the promises of this campaign are significant. While the company expects $38 billion in revenue this year from its traditional software business, Benioff believes the digital job market represents a multi-trillion dollar opportunity.
However, challenges remain, especially in terms of trust and security. Salesforce emphasizes “trust cover” that prevents toxic content and maintains data privacy, while giving customers control over how agents work within their organizations.
“These things work as a user – they don't have God's permissions or administrative permission,” Seaman said. “We don't create any loopholes for the AI to see things it shouldn't be able to. “
As businesses grapple with ongoing labor shortages and productivity challenges, Salesforce is betting that AI agents will become an integral part of today's workforce. The company's vision suggests a future where human workers work alongside AI agents who can handle increasingly complex tasks – fundamentally changing how businesses operate and ' scale.
“This is the beginning of the beginning,” Benioff said. “When you're at the beginning, you see these little things, and then you try to figure out what this is going to be. This is an amazing time. “
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