Salesforce has laid off approximately 4000 customer support staff as a result of the extensive implementation of artificial intelligence in its business processes. According to CEO Marc Benioff, the company has significantly reduced the need for personnel to service customers thanks to modern automated systems.
This is reported by Business • Media
The Impact of AI on Employment Structure at Salesforce
In the podcast The Logan Bartlett Show, Benioff explained that the number of support staff has decreased from 9000 to about 5000. This is due to the transition of many routine tasks to the automated platform Agentforce, which serves customers using bots. Salesforce representatives emphasize that with the implementation of Agentforce, the volume of requests requiring manual processing has significantly decreased, so the company is not filling the vacant support engineer positions.
“AI reduces the need for personnel,” said Marc Benioff.
Experts’ Reactions to the Staff Reductions
HR consultant Lori Ruttimann notes that the impact of artificial intelligence on employment is becoming increasingly noticeable across various sectors in the U.S. She advises workers to acquire new skills to remain competitive in the job market.
Analyst Ed Zitron points out that many tech companies are using the topic of AI to justify layoffs following a period of aggressive hiring during the pandemic. In his opinion, claims of increased efficiency often serve to bolster investor confidence. Zitron emphasizes that for corporations, the primary focus remains on capital growth, even if it leads to job losses and potential declines in product quality.
Previously, Marc Benioff had already stated that artificial intelligence performs up to half of all work at Salesforce. The company, headquartered in San Francisco, actively positions itself as a leader in AI-based corporate solutions.
It is worth noting that other tech giants are also implementing artificial intelligence in their operational processes. For example, Amazon has offered employees the opportunity to shift their roles due to the launch of the new AI-based robot Vulcan.