IBM Salesforce AI Partnership

IBM and Salesforce Expand Partnership to Advance Open, Trusted AI and Data Ecosystems

PR Newswire-IBM Salesforce AI Partnership

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ARMONK, N.Y. and SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2024 – IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) today announced an expanded strategic partnership designed to bring together IBM’s watsonx AI and Data Platform with the Salesforce Einstein 1 Platform. This collaboration aims to provide greater customer choice and flexibility in AI and data deployment, empowering teams to make data-driven decisions seamlessly.

Key Highlights of the Expanded Partnership:

1. Enhanced Large Language Models for Generative AI: The IBM watsonx platform and IBM Granite series models will introduce more large language models (LLMs) to support generative AI use cases across the Salesforce Einstein 1 Platform. This integration will provide pre-built actions and prompts, enhancing AI capabilities for CRM solutions.

2. Zero Copy Data Integration: IBM joins the Salesforce Zero Copy Partner Network to enable secure, zero-copy data integration between IBM watsonx and Salesforce Data Cloud. This integration offers customers a cost-effective way to connect and leverage their data without the need to move it, ensuring seamless data access and actionability.

3. Commitment to Responsible AI: Salesforce has joined the AI Alliance, reinforcing its commitment to developing open, safe, and responsible AI. This collaboration aims to foster transparency and ethics in AI development, aligning with the AI Alliance’s mission to advance beneficial AI innovation.

Integration Details:

Large Language Model Flexibility: Organizations can deploy generative AI for CRM use cases with LLMs tailored to their business needs. Salesforce’s “Bring Your Own Large Language Model” strategy allows customers to integrate their LLMs with the watsonx.ai platform and Salesforce Einstein 1 Studio. This will provide access to IBM’s Granite series AI models and custom LLMs built on watsonx, enhancing AI-driven customer interactions.

Industry-Specific Solutions: Together with IBM Consulting, Salesforce will offer industry-specific prompt templates and copilot actions in Einstein 1 Studio, starting with public sector use cases. These templates are designed to optimize both foundation and Granite models for various industries, including automotive, energy, financial services, and public sector.

Bidirectional Data Integration: By joining the Salesforce Zero Copy Partner Network, IBM enables bidirectional data integration with Salesforce Data Cloud. This integration allows customers to access IBM data via watsonx.data within Salesforce Data Cloud, maintaining data security and minimizing risks. This approach simplifies data management, maximizing technology investments and ensuring comprehensive data accessibility for analytics and AI.

Industry Impact: Ritika Gunnar, General Manager of Product Management, Data and AI at IBM, emphasized the importance of choosing the right foundation models for AI strategies, stating, “IBM and Salesforce are making it easier for clients to navigate the complex generative AI landscape by helping them select the right LLM for their business needs.”

Rahul Auradkar, EVP & GM of United Data Services & Einstein at Salesforce, highlighted the benefits of the partnership, saying, “With bidirectional data integration, companies can harmonize all their data faster, fueling actionable insights that empower teams to make data-driven decisions and deliver integrated experiences across all customer touchpoints.”

About IBM: IBM is a global leader in hybrid cloud and AI, providing consulting expertise to clients in over 175 countries. IBM’s innovations in AI, quantum computing, and industry-specific cloud solutions support digital transformations with a commitment to trust, transparency, and inclusivity. For more information, visit www.ibm.com.

About Salesforce: Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, helping companies connect with customers through CRM + AI + Data + Trust on one unified platform, Einstein 1. For more information, visit www.salesforce.com.

For additional details on IBM Granite and the partnership with Salesforce, visit IBM Granite.

Statements regarding IBM’s and Salesforce’s future directions are subject to change and represent goals and objectives only.