Salesforce Cuts 4,000 Support Jobs Amid AI Integration

Salesforce has cut approximately 4,000 customer support jobs, reducing its support workforce from 9,000 to about 5,000, as the company integrates artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Agentforce to handle nearly half of all customer interactions. CEO Marc Benioff framed this shift as a move toward an "agentic enterprise," where AI and humans work side by side, emphasizing that these changes are about efficiency rather than a dystopian future. Despite these workforce reductions, Salesforce reported strong financial results, including $10.2 billion in revenue for the recent quarter and a $20 billion increase in its share buyback plan, though it forecasted revenue below Wall Street estimates due to macroeconomic uncertainty. The company has also redeployed hundreds of employees into other areas such as professional services, sales, and customer success, reflecting broader trends where AI is reshaping job roles and requiring workers to reskill. While some analysts caution that layoffs attributed to AI may also reflect pandemic-era overhiring, investor confidence remains high, with Salesforce maintaining an "Outperform" rating and projections indicating significant potential upside in its stock value. Overall, Benioff views AI as a tool to augment human work and drive operational efficiency across the company.