Salesforce plans to hire 2,000 new sales representatives to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) products. CEO Marc Benioff made the announcement, as reported by CNBC. Benioff shared the companyโs ambitious expansion plans during a recent event.
โWeโre adding another couple of thousand salespeople to help sell these products,โ Benioff stated. He also expressed overwhelming interest in the roles, saying, โWe already had 9,000 referrals for the 2,000 positions weโve opened up. Itโs amazing.โ
Salesforceโs workforce stood at over 72,600 employees at the start of 2024. The new hires will support the companyโs growing portfolio of AI-powered tools, which aim to revolutionise how businesses operate and communicate.
A growing focus on AI
Salesforce has heavily invested in AI development in recent years, positioning itself as a key player in this competitive market. Its Agentforce platform, a fully integrated AI solution for enterprises, is set to launch its second generation in February 2025. Additionally, updates are planned for Slack, the popular communication tool owned by Salesforce, to integrate even more AI-driven features.
The companyโs commitment to AI comes as it faces tough competition from Microsoft, which has partnered with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. Salesforceโs AI tools aim to empower sales teams, marketers, and customer service agents, making the platform the preferred choice for businesses looking to adopt AI solutions.
โAgentforce, our complete AI system for enterprises built into the Salesforce Platform, is at the heart of a groundbreaking transformation,โ Benioff said. โThe rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionising global labour, reshaping how industries operate and scale. With Agentforce, weโre not just witnessing the futureโweโre leading it, unleashing a new era of digital labour for every business and every industry.โ
Mixed signals amid layoffs and growth
While Salesforceโs hiring spree is good news for job seekers, it also highlights the dual nature of the companyโs recent strategies. Over the past two years, thousands of workers have been laid off as part of cost-cutting and restructuring efforts.
According to layoffs, more than 8,000 employees were dismissed in 2023, followed by another 1,000 in 2024. This year alone has seen two separate rounds of job cuts, totalling approximately 1,000 roles. Despite these layoffs, Salesforceโs move to add 2,000 positions signals a shift in priorities, with a stronger focus on AI-driven growth.
Salesforceโs AI solutions are already having an impact. The companyโs AI-powered customer service agents now handle 32,000 queries each week. As a result, the need for human intervention has dropped by half, from 10,000 cases weekly to just 5,000.
Salesforceโs financial performance reflects its evolving strategy. In the three months ending October 31, the company reported US$9.44 billion in revenue, an 8% increase compared to the previous year’s period. This follows three consecutive quarters of consistent growth, with revenues rising by 8%, 11%, and 11% respectively.
Salesforceโs latest moves highlight its determination to remain a leader in AI, even as it navigates challenges associated with rapid technological advancements and shifting workforce demands.
