Salesforce drops Agentforce 2.0 and brings reasoning AI to enterprises

Salesforce unveiled a major upgrade to its artificial intelligence platform on Tuesday, introducing technology that allows AI agents to reason deeper and take more autonomous actions in corporate workflows – part of what the company’s CEO describes as an ambitious push toward “digital labor ‘.

The software giant from San Francisco Agent power 2.0 represents a significant evolution in the way AI assistants operate within enterprises, moving beyond simple chatbots to AI agents that can understand complex requests, access relevant business data, and independently complete multi-step tasks.

“We are creating a new industry,” Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said at a press conference announcing the release. “It is no longer just about managing and sharing information and data. We are a digital labor provider.”

How Atlas Reasoning Engine powers the next generation of business AI

The upgraded platform introduces what Salesforce the Atlas Reasoning Engineallowing AI agents to perform more advanced analysis and decision-making. Unlike traditional AI assistants that provide quick responses based on pattern matching, Atlas uses “System 2” reasoning – a more deliberative approach inspired by psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s research into human thought processes.

“The reasoning engine should be one of the first factors business organizations consider when comparing digital workforce options,” said Claire Cheng, Ph.D., VP of machine learning and engineering at Salesforce.

The first results seem promising. During testing, Agentforce 2.0 achieved a 33% improvement in response accuracy compared to DIY AI solutions while doubling response relevance, according to Salesforce.

The company has already deployed the technology internally. Bee staff.salesforce.comAI agents now handle 83% of customer support queries independently, with human escalations down 50% since implementation two weeks ago.

“Suddenly, as CEO, I am not only managing people, but also agents,” Benioff said. “There is an authentic agent layer around the platform today. It’s not some vision of the future, it’s what’s happening now.”

Digital labor: the key to solving global workforce challenges

Salesforce’s push for ‘digital labor’ comes from its growth labor shortages in all sectors. With birth rates declining and companies struggling to fill job openings, Benioff sees AI agents as a critical solution for business growth.

“To unlock GDP growth we need breakthrough technology. We need to become a digital labor provider,” he said. “This is the new horizon for business – this idea that a door has been opened and business will never be the same.”

The technology is already finding applications in the real world. The Adecco Groupa global staffing agency, uses Agentforce to process millions of resumes and match candidates with opportunities. Digital tablet maker remarkable used for customer service while accounting firm 1-800 Accountant expects to deflect 65% of incoming service requests using AI agents.

Behind the Technology: The Innovation Powering Salesforce’s AI Revolution

Under the hood, Agentforce 2.0 introduces various technical developments. The Atlas Reasoning Engine creates a detailed semantic understanding of business data and processes, enabling more contextual responses.

“We can connect each data component to contextual metadata information, allowing us to find the mapping between data and its associated semantic meaning,” explains Silvio Savarese, who leads Salesforce’s AI research. “This enables much more relevant and tailored answers to user questions.”

The platform also introduces enhanced integration with Slack, Salesforce’s workplace messaging platform, allowing employees to collaborate directly with AI agents in their communication flows.

“If you want these officers to be used, engaged and you want them to get better over time, it’s critical that they are where people are already working,” said Rob Seaman, who oversees the Slack integration.

Looking ahead, Salesforce is considering expanding into physical robotics, with Benioff announcing plans for a “robot force partner program” to connect physical robots to the company’s AI agent platform.

Trust, security and the future: Navigating AI business integration

The stakes of this initiative are significant for Salesforce. While the company expects $38 billion in revenue from its traditional software business this year, Benioff believes the digital labor market represents a multi-trillion dollar opportunity.

However, challenges remain, especially in the areas of trust and security. Salesforce emphasizes its “to trust lowthat prevents toxic content and maintains data privacy while giving customers control over how agents work within their organizations.

“These things act as users; they have no permission from God or administrator,” Seaman noted. “We don’t create gaps that allow the AI ​​to see things it shouldn’t be able to see.”

As companies grapple with ongoing labor shortages and productivity issues, Salesforce is betting that AI agents will become an essential part of the modern workforce. The company’s vision suggests a future where human workers collaborate with AI agents that can handle increasingly complex tasks – fundamentally changing the way companies operate and scale.

“This is the beginning of the beginning,” Benioff said. “When you’re at the beginning of the beginning, you see these little things, and then you try to extrapolate what this is going to be. This is an incredible moment.”