Salesforce CEO: AI Handles Up to Half of Company Tasks, Shifting Workforce Needs

Salesforce Uses AI for Nearly Half Its Operations, Says CEO

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff revealed that AI now handles between 30% and 50% of tasks within the company. This includes areas like software engineering and customer service. The company’s use of AI has led to a reduced need for new hires, a trend also seen at other tech giants like Microsoft and Alphabet.

Salesforce is actively developing an AI tool that automates customer service tasks. This tool has achieved 93% accuracy and is already deployed by major clients, including Walt Disney Co. As AI takes on more responsibilities, employee roles are shifting. Benioff noted, “We can move on to do higher-value work.”

What This Means for Operations Professionals

• AI is reshaping work without eliminating it. Salesforce’s integration of AI reflects a broader historical pattern where technology changes how work gets done rather than fully replacing workers. Research from McKinsey shows that while about 50% of work activities can be automated, less than 5% of entire jobs are fully automatable with current tech. The International Labour Organization supports this, finding only 2.3% of jobs worldwide are at high risk of complete automation. Instead of job loss, new roles are emerging in data analytics, AI ethics, and more.
• AI adoption varies by function and task. The 30-50% figure is an average across Salesforce’s departments. Some tasks, especially those that are high-volume and rule-based, are easier to automate. For example, Salesforce redeployed 500 customer service workers while saving $50 million. Similarly, Barclays saved 20-40% time on information retrieval using AI tools. However, roles involving human interaction face less disruption, creating uneven impacts across the workforce.
• Most companies are still early in AI adoption. Despite Salesforce’s progress, 85% of organizations have yet to implement agentic AI. Many employees (73%) remain unclear about how AI will affect their jobs, causing uncertainty. The pace of AI adoption depends on factors like technical feasibility, costs, labor market dynamics, regulations, and social acceptance. HR leaders expect agentic AI adoption to grow 327% by 2027, so broader transformation is on the horizon.

Practical Takeaways for Operations Teams

Understanding where AI fits in your organization is key. Focus on identifying high-volume, rule-based tasks that could benefit from automation. This can free your team to focus on more strategic and creative work.

Keep communication open with your workforce about AI’s role to reduce uncertainty. Training and reskilling will be essential as roles evolve rather than disappear.

Stay informed about AI tools relevant to your function. To explore practical AI courses that can support operational roles, you can visit Complete AI Training’s courses by job.

AI is changing the way operations work, but it’s a shift in how people work, not a replacement. Preparing for this change with the right knowledge and tools will ensure your team stays ahead.