Greetings,

In recent months, Marc Benioff has made one thing clear: AI isn't just an opportunity for Salesforce—it's a challenge to its very core. In this in-depth piece.

Why it caught my eye:

• Salesforce faces an existential threat from AI agents that could replace its flagship products.
• Marc Benioff's directive to make Agentforce central to every deal underscores his urgency.
• Startups are nipping at Salesforce's heels, with some customers already testing alternatives.

At The Information, we've covered AI's disruptive impact across industries all year, but this story highlights a unique tension how a tech giant grapples with its own innovation and its potential obsolescence.

Can Salesforce out-innovate its competition—or is the AI tide too strong to hold back?

Best,

Jessica Lessin
Founder & Editor-in-Chief

AI Is Marc Benioff's Friend—and Foe

In the weeks after Salesforce unveiled Agentforce in September, its new artificial intelligence agent—a software tool that automates business tasks—CEO Marc Benioff had an aggressive demand for his sales teams. In all-hands sales meetings, he ordered that Agentforce must be part of every deal they complete with customers, said a person who works with Benioff.

And now, less than two months after Salesforce began selling the product, more than half of its roughly 15,000-member sales team has at least one Agentforce transaction in progress, Benioff said in a recent interview.