Salesforce has announced the launch of its AI-powered agent development platform, Agentforce, which provides a low- or no-code solution for companies to deploy chatbots for employees or customers. Agentforce is already being used by companies like OpenTable, Saks, and Wiley.
This platform enables automated tasks without needing human intervention. According to Salesforce, Agentforce agents can be activated by data changes, business rules, or pre-set automations. While these agents operate independently, Salesforce also emphasizes a cooperative model between human employees and AI agents to improve customer interactions.
Salesforce notes that Agentforce extends beyond typical chatbot functions, even distinguishing it from Microsoft’s AI tools by offering more sophisticated functionality. CEO Marc Benioff recently compared Microsoft's Dynamics 365 AI tools to the outdated "Clippy" assistant, suggesting they lack the accuracy and security Salesforce aims to provide with Agentforce.
AI is increasingly central to Salesforce's overall strategy, reflected in other products like Slack. Slack CEO Denise Dresser, who views AI as essential to transforming Slack into a "work operating system," sees Agentforce as a crucial part of this evolution.
The new platform includes Agentforce Service Agent, a customer self-service tool starting at $2 per conversation, and Agent Builder, which allows users to build custom agents with available templates. Agentforce is designed to support companies in enhancing their digital customer service and employee support with reliable AI-driven solutions.
