Salesforce Uses AI to Cut Engineering and Customer Service Hiring While Expanding Sales Team
Salesforce is reducing engineer and customer service hires thanks to AI boosting productivity. The company will reassign 500 customer service staff, saving $50 million this year.
Salesforce Cuts Hiring of Engineers and Customer Service Staff Thanks to AI
Salesforce has announced that its adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has reduced the need to hire new engineers and customer service workers. This shift reflects how AI is changing staffing strategies within tech companies.
Robin Washington, Salesforce’s chief financial and operations officer, shared that the company has decreased some hiring requirements because AI has boosted productivity. For instance, around 500 customer service employees will be reassigned to other roles this year, resulting in savings of about $50 million.
AI’s Growing Role in Tech Jobs
Tech giants increasingly rely on AI for tasks ranging from customer support to software development. Microsoft’s recent job cuts hit software engineers the hardest, even though AI now generates roughly 30% of code in some Microsoft projects. Meta Platforms is also using AI-powered engineers to handle basic bug fixes and product improvements, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg has noted.
Washington explained that Salesforce views AI tools as assistants that boost the productivity of existing staff, which means fewer new engineers need to be hired. This approach helps the company maintain efficiency while adapting to technological change.
Salesforce Expands Sales Workforce
While hiring slows in some areas, Salesforce is growing its sales team. The company currently employs about 13,000 salespeople and plans to increase this number by 22% this year, according to chief revenue officer Miguel Milano. Earlier this year, Salesforce also planned to cut over 1,000 employees but focused new hiring on AI-related sales roles.
What This Means for Customer Support Professionals
If you work in customer support, these changes highlight the growing influence of AI in your field. AI can automate routine tasks, allowing you to focus on more complex customer needs. Upskilling in AI tools and automation may become essential to stay relevant and advance your career.
- Learn how AI can assist with customer service tasks and improve productivity.
- Explore courses focused on AI in customer support to enhance your skills.
For those interested, Complete AI Training offers AI courses tailored to customer support roles, helping professionals stay ahead of technological changes.
