AI Takes Center Stage as Salesforce Rethinks Human Roles in Customer Care

Salesforce has reduced its customer service workforce by 4,000 employees, as artificial intelligence increasingly handles customer interactions, according to CEO Marc Benioff. During an interview on the Logan Bartlett Show, Benioff revealed that the company’s support staff had been cut from 9,000 to 5,000 since the beginning of 2025. “I need less heads,” he said, emphasizing that AI agents now handle over a million customer conversations and have reduced support costs by 17% [1].

The shift marks a change in tone for Benioff, who previously dismissed concerns that AI would lead to widespread job cuts. Earlier this year, he told Fortune that AI would augment rather than replace human workers. However, with AI now managing 50% of customer service interactions, the company is moving toward a hybrid model where AI and humans work together [1]. Benioff described the transition as part of a realistic evolution in customer support, rather than a dystopian outcome.

Salesforce’s AI integration has expanded beyond support into sales, with the company reporting that it has an "agentic sales" system capable of following up on every lead. Benioff noted that Salesforce had previously left over 100 million sales leads unaddressed due to staffing limitations. The AI system now ensures that no lead is overlooked [1]. The company has also introduced an "omnichannel supervisor" to coordinate between human and AI agents, allowing seamless transitions when AI cannot handle a task [2].

The reduction of customer service roles aligns with a broader trend of AI-driven workforce automation across the tech sector. Companies such as Microsoft and Meta have announced major layoffs, with Microsoft cutting 9,000 positions and Meta eliminating 3,600 roles. These cuts are attributed to the increasing capability of AI to perform tasks traditionally carried out by human employees, including customer service and sales [1]. Benioff acknowledged that the pace of automation has accelerated, with AI now capable of executing roles that were previously thought to be beyond the reach of technology.

Benioff also emphasized that the shift toward AI does not mean the end of human involvement in customer service. Instead, the company is redefining roles to focus on areas where human oversight is critical. “This is the most exciting thing that’s happened in the last nine months for Salesforce,” he said, highlighting the potential for AI to enhance productivity and reduce costs [1]. While the transformation is ongoing, Benioff sees it as a necessary evolution driven by both efficiency and technological advancement.

The changes at Salesforce reflect a growing acceptance among tech leaders that AI is reshaping labor markets. While earlier predictions were more cautious, the reality of automation has proven more disruptive than anticipated. As companies continue to integrate AI into core functions, the balance between human and machine is likely to remain a central issue in the evolving workforce landscape [1].

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[1] Salesforce CEO Billionaire Marc Benioff AI Agents Jobs Layoffs Customer Service Sales (https://fortune.com/2025/09/02/salesforce-ceo-billionaire-marc-benioff-ai-agents-jobs-layoffs-customer-service-sales/)

[2] Salesforce Cuts 4000 Jobs as AI Takes Over Half of Customer Service Tasks (https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/salesforce-cuts-4000-jobs-as-ai-takes-over-half-of-customer-service-tasks-80022.htm)