The current phase of disillusionment is not a dead end but rather a recalibration. As enterprises and vendors align expectations with the technology’s capabilities, generative AI can move beyond the hype to deliver sustainable value.
Meta Joins the Race to Reinvent Search with AI Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is stepping into the evolving AI-driven search landscape. As vendors increasingly embrace generative AI to transform search experiences, Meta aims to challenge Google’s dominance in this space. The company is reportedly developing an AI-powered search engine designed to provide conversational, AI-generated summaries of recent events and news. These summaries would be delivered via Meta’s AI chatbot, supported by a multiyear partnership with Reuters for real-time news insights, according to The Information. AI Search: A Growing Opportunity The push comes as generative AI reshapes search technology across the industry. Google, the long-standing leader, has integrated AI features such as AI Overviews into its search platform, offering users summarized search results, product comparisons, and more. This feature, now available in over 100 countries as of October 2024, signals a shift in traditional search strategies. Similarly, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has been exploring its own AI search model, SearchGPT, and forging partnerships with media organizations like the Associated Press and Hearst. However, OpenAI faces legal challenges, such as a lawsuit from The New York Times over alleged copyright infringement. Meta’s entry into AI-powered search aligns with a broader trend among tech giants. “It makes sense for Meta to explore this,” said Mark Beccue, an analyst with TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group. He noted that Meta’s approach seems more targeted at consumer engagement than enterprise solutions, particularly appealing to younger audiences who are shifting away from traditional search behaviors. Shifting User Preferences Generational changes in search habits are creating opportunities for new players in the market. Younger users, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are increasingly turning to platforms like TikTok for lifestyle advice and Amazon for product recommendations, bypassing traditional search engines like Google. “Recent studies show younger generations are no longer using ‘Google’ as a verb,” said Lisa Martin, an analyst with the Futurum Group. “This opens the playing field for competitors like Meta and OpenAI.” Forrester Research corroborates this trend, noting a diversification in search behaviors. “ChatGPT’s popularity has accelerated this shift,” said Nikhil Lai, a Forrester analyst. He added that these changes could challenge Google’s search ad market, with its dominance potentially waning in the years ahead. Meta’s AI Search Potential Meta’s foray into AI search offers an opportunity to enhance user experiences and deepen engagement. Rather than pushing news content into users’ feeds—an approach that has drawn criticism—AI-driven search could empower users to decide what content they see and when they see it. “If implemented thoughtfully, it could transform the user experience and give users more control,” said Martin. This approach could also boost engagement by keeping users within Meta’s ecosystem. The Race for Revenue and Trust While AI-powered search is expected to increase engagement, monetization strategies remain uncertain. Google has yet to monetize its AI Overviews, and OpenAI’s plans for SearchGPT remain unclear. Other vendors, like Perplexity AI, are experimenting with models such as sponsored questions instead of traditional results. Trust remains a critical factor in the evolving search landscape. “Google is still seen as more trustworthy,” Lai noted, with users often returning to Google to verify AI-generated information. Despite the competition, the conversational AI search market lacks a definitive leader. “Google dominated traditional search, but the race for conversational search is far more open-ended,” Lai concluded. Meta’s entry into this competitive space underscores the ongoing evolution of search technology, setting the stage for a reshaped digital landscape driven by AI innovation. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming threat detection by enabling faster, more accurate identification of potential security breaches through its ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, detect anomalies and patterns that might indicate a threat, even when those threats are new or previously unknown, thus providing a proactive approach to cybersecurity compared to traditional rule-based systems.
GenAI: Transforming the Role of Data Science Teams Challenges, Opportunities, and the Evolving Responsibilities of Data Scientists Generative AI (GenAI) is revolutionizing the AI landscape, offering faster development cycles, reduced technical overhead, and enabling groundbreaking use cases that once seemed unattainable. However, it also introduces new challenges, including the risks of hallucinations and reliance on third-party APIs. For Data Scientists and Machine Learning (ML) teams, this shift directly impacts their roles. GenAI-driven projects, often powered by external providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Meta, blur traditional lines. AI solutions are increasingly accessible to non-technical teams, but this accessibility raises fundamental questions about the role and responsibilities of data science teams in ensuring effective, ethical, and future-proof AI systems. Let’s explore how this evolution is reshaping the field. Expanding Possibilities Without Losing Focus While GenAI unlocks opportunities to solve a broader range of challenges, not every problem warrants an AI solution. Data Scientists remain vital in assessing when and where AI is appropriate, selecting the right approaches—whether GenAI, traditional ML, or hybrid solutions—and designing reliable systems. Although GenAI broadens the toolkit, two factors shape its application: For example, incorporating features that enable user oversight of AI outputs may prove more strategic than attempting full automation with extensive fine-tuning. Differentiation will not come from simply using LLMs, which are widely accessible, but from the unique value and functionality they enable. Traditional ML Is Far from Dead—It’s Evolving with GenAI While GenAI is transformative, traditional ML continues to play a critical role. Many use cases, especially those unrelated to text or images, are best addressed with ML. GenAI often complements traditional ML, enabling faster prototyping, enhanced experimentation, and hybrid systems that blend the strengths of both approaches. For instance, traditional ML workflows—requiring extensive data preparation, training, and maintenance—contrast with GenAI’s simplified process: prompt engineering, offline evaluation, and API integration. This allows rapid proof of concept for new ideas. Once proven, teams can refine solutions using traditional ML to optimize costs or latency, or transition to Small Language Models (SMLs) for greater control and performance. Hybrid systems are increasingly common. For example, DoorDash combines LLMs with ML models for product classification. LLMs handle cases the ML model cannot classify confidently, retraining the ML system with new insights—a powerful feedback loop. GenAI Solves New Problems—But Still Needs Expertise The AI landscape is shifting from bespoke in-house models to fewer, large multi-task models provided by external vendors. While this simplifies some aspects of AI implementation, it requires teams to remain vigilant about GenAI’s probabilistic nature and inherent risks. Key challenges unique to GenAI include: Data Scientists must ensure robust evaluations, including statistical and model-based metrics, before deployment. Monitoring tools like Datadog now offer LLM-specific observability, enabling teams to track system performance in real-world environments. Teams must also address ethical concerns, applying frameworks like ComplAI to benchmark models and incorporating guardrails to align outputs with organizational and societal values. Building AI Literacy Across Organizations AI literacy is becoming a critical competency for organizations. Beyond technical implementation, competitive advantage now depends on how effectively the entire workforce understands and leverages AI. Data Scientists are uniquely positioned to champion this literacy by leading initiatives such as internal training, workshops, and hackathons. These efforts can: The New Role of Data Scientists: A Strategic Pivot The role of Data Scientists is not diminishing but evolving. Their expertise remains essential to ensure AI solutions are reliable, ethical, and impactful. Key responsibilities now include: By adapting to this new landscape, Data Scientists will continue to play a pivotal role in guiding organizations to harness AI effectively and responsibly. GenAI is not replacing them; it’s expanding their impact. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more
Leverage AI to Enhance Customer Retention and Reduce Churn Customer churn is among the most expensive challenges businesses face—and one of the hardest to tackle. Predictive and generative AI technologies offer an immediate opportunity to boost retention rates. When applied strategically, these tools can revolutionize how customer service and support teams operate, creating measurable improvements in retention and overall customer satisfaction. A recent McKinsey & Company study highlights the impact of AI in customer service. One company reported a 14% increase in issue resolution and a 9% reduction in issue handling time with generative AI. Requests to escalate to a manager dropped by 25%, and employee retention in service roles improved. When every percentage point matters, AI’s ability to engage and retain customers (and employees) can significantly affect your bottom line and business success. The Cost of Poor Customer Service on Retention Retaining existing customers is far more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Happy, long-term customers are also more likely to purchase additional products or services, making upselling and cross-selling efforts easier. However, poor customer service experiences—such as lengthy hold times, repeating information, or unhelpful chatbot interactions—can damage customer relationships and lead to churn. As Salesforce points out, these four signs indicate broken customer service: To address these challenges, a seamless, data-driven approach to customer service is essential. Prevent Churn with CRM + AI Customer data spans multiple touchpoints, from website visits to call center interactions. Without a unified view, even the most skilled service teams struggle to deliver exceptional experiences. A solution like Salesforce Service Cloud, enhanced by AI tools such as Agentforce Service Agents, empowers teams to: By combining predictive analytics with a unified customer experience platform, businesses can deliver personalized, proactive service that fosters loyalty. Retention Agent: The AI Solution for Customer Retention Retention Agent, part of Tectonic’s Agentforce suite, leverages AI to identify at-risk customers and equip sales, service, and support teams with actionable insights. It provides recommendations for re-engagement strategies, personalized offers, and targeted communications to prevent costly churn. Here’s how Retention Agent works: By integrating AI into customer service operations, businesses can stay ahead of churn, improve satisfaction, and build stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
PydanticAI: Empowering LLMs with a Robust Agent Framework As the Generative AI landscape evolves at a historic pace, AI agents and multi-agent systems are expected to dominate 2025. Industry leaders like AWS, OpenAI, and Microsoft are racing to release frameworks, but among these, PydanticAI stands out for its unique integration of the powerful Pydantic library with large language models (LLMs). Why Pydantic Matters Pydantic, a Python library, simplifies data validation and parsing, making it indispensable for handling external inputs such as JSON, user data, or API responses. By automating data checks (e.g., type validation and format enforcement), Pydantic ensures data integrity while reducing errors and development effort. For instance, instead of manually validating fields like age or email, Pydantic allows you to define models that automatically enforce structure and constraints. Consider the following example: pythonCopy codefrom pydantic import BaseModel, EmailStr class User(BaseModel): name: str age: int email: EmailStr user_data = {“name”: “Alice”, “age”: 25, “email”: “[email protected]”} user = User(**user_data) print(user.name) # Alice print(user.age) # 25 print(user.email) # [email protected] If invalid data is provided (e.g., age as a string), Pydantic throws a detailed error, making debugging straightforward. What Makes PydanticAI Special Building on Pydantic’s strengths, PydanticAI brings structured, type-safe responses to LLM-based AI agents. Here are its standout features: Building an AI Agent with PydanticAI Below is an example of creating a PydanticAI-powered bank support agent. The agent interacts with customer data, evaluates risks, and provides structured advice. Installation bashCopy codepip install ‘pydantic-ai-slim[openai,vertexai,logfire]’ Example: Bank Support Agent pythonCopy codefrom dataclasses import dataclass from pydantic import BaseModel, Field from pydantic_ai import Agent, RunContext from bank_database import DatabaseConn @dataclass class SupportDependencies: customer_id: int db: DatabaseConn class SupportResult(BaseModel): support_advice: str = Field(description=”Advice for the customer”) block_card: bool = Field(description=”Whether to block the customer’s card”) risk: int = Field(description=”Risk level of the query”, ge=0, le=10) support_agent = Agent( ‘openai:gpt-4o’, deps_type=SupportDependencies, result_type=SupportResult, system_prompt=( “You are a support agent in our bank. Provide support to customers and assess risk levels.” ), ) @support_agent.system_prompt async def add_customer_name(ctx: RunContext[SupportDependencies]) -> str: customer_name = await ctx.deps.db.customer_name(id=ctx.deps.customer_id) return f”The customer’s name is {customer_name!r}” @support_agent.tool async def customer_balance(ctx: RunContext[SupportDependencies], include_pending: bool) -> float: return await ctx.deps.db.customer_balance( id=ctx.deps.customer_id, include_pending=include_pending ) async def main(): deps = SupportDependencies(customer_id=123, db=DatabaseConn()) result = await support_agent.run(‘What is my balance?’, deps=deps) print(result.data) result = await support_agent.run(‘I just lost my card!’, deps=deps) print(result.data) Key Concepts Why PydanticAI Matters PydanticAI simplifies the development of production-ready AI agents by bridging the gap between unstructured LLM outputs and structured, validated data. Its ability to handle complex workflows with type safety and its seamless integration with modern AI tools make it an essential framework for developers. As we move toward a future dominated by multi-agent AI systems, PydanticAI is poised to be a cornerstone in building reliable, scalable, and secure AI-driven applications. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more
Salesforce Expands Partnership with AWS: AI and Marketplace Integration Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) is making significant strides in its partnership with Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), unveiling an expanded collaboration at AWS. Customers can now purchase Salesforce products directly through the AWS Marketplace, paying with AWS credits. This integration aims to simplify access to Salesforce offerings, enhance data integration capabilities, and leverage generative AI tools. Key Announcements: Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce, highlighted the importance of this milestone: “We’re bringing together the No. 1 AI CRM provider and the leading cloud provider to deliver a trusted, open, integrated data and AI platform. With these enhancements to our partnership, we’re enabling all of our customers to be more innovative, productive, and successful in this new AI era.” AWS CEO Adam Selipsky echoed these sentiments, emphasizing how the partnership will enable joint customers to “innovate, collaborate, and build more customer-focused applications.” Strategic Benefits: Revenue-Sharing Structure: Like app stores, Amazon will take a percentage of Salesforce’s revenue generated through AWS Marketplace. Despite this, the potential growth in sales and efficiency gains may outweigh the costs. Market Reaction: Following the announcement, both Salesforce and Amazon shares experienced a boost in premarket trading, signaling investor optimism about the partnership’s potential. This expansion reinforces Salesforce’s strategy of aligning with major cloud providers to meet growing demand for AI-driven, integrated data platforms. As this collaboration evolves, it is poised to drive significant value for businesses navigating the AI and data revolution. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
AI in Business Intelligence: Uses, Benefits, and Challenges AI tools are increasingly becoming integral to Business Intelligence (BI) systems, enhancing analytics capabilities and streamlining tasks. In this article, we explore how AI can bring new value to BI processes and what to consider as this integration continues to evolve. AI’s Role in Business Intelligence Business Intelligence tools, such as dashboards and interactive reports, have traditionally focused on analyzing historical and current data to describe business performance—known as descriptive analytics. While valuable, many business users seek more than just a snapshot of past performance. They also want predictive insights (forecasting future trends) and prescriptive guidance (recommendations for action). Historically, implementing these advanced capabilities was challenging due to their complexity, but AI simplifies this process. By leveraging AI’s analytical power and natural language processing (NLP), businesses can move from descriptive to predictive and prescriptive analytics, enabling proactive decision-making. AI-powered BI systems also offer the advantage of real-time data analysis, providing up-to-date insights that help businesses respond quickly to changing conditions. Additionally, AI can automate routine tasks, boosting efficiency across business operations. Benefits of Using AI in BI Initiatives The integration of AI into BI systems brings several key benefits, including: Examples of AI Applications in BI AI’s role in BI is not limited to internal process improvements. It can significantly enhance customer experience (CX) and support business growth. Here are a few examples: Challenges of Implementing AI in BI While the potential for AI in BI is vast, there are several challenges companies must address: Best Practices for Deploying AI in BI To maximize the benefits of AI in BI, companies should follow these best practices: Future Trends to Watch AI is not poised to replace traditional BI tools but to augment them with new capabilities. In the future, we can expect: In conclusion, AI is transforming business intelligence by turning data analysis from a retrospective activity into a forward-looking, real-time process. While challenges remain, such as data governance, ethical concerns, and skill shortages, AI’s potential to enhance BI systems and drive business success is undeniable. By following best practices and staying abreast of industry developments, businesses can harness AI to unlock new opportunities and deliver better insights. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more Top Ten Reasons Why Tectonic Loves the Cloud The Cloud is Good for Everyone – Why Tectonic loves the cloud You don’t need to worry about tracking licenses. Read more
The Rise of Digital Workers: Unlocking a New Era of Opportunity Over the past two years, advancements in artificial intelligence have sparked a revolution in how humans work, live, and connect. While impressive generative AI models have garnered significant attention, a new paradigm of autonomous AI agents is emerging, promising transformative changes to industries and societies alike. Unlike traditional “predictive AI,” which analyzes data for recommendations, and “generative AI,” which creates content based on learned patterns, autonomous AI agents go a step further. These agents operate independently, executing tasks, making decisions, and even negotiating with other agents. This evolution introduces an intelligent digital workforce capable of scaling operations, reducing costs, and enhancing productivity. Consider a large retailer during the holiday season. Instead of relying on human workers or pre-programmed software to address customer inquiries or update inventory, autonomous agents can seamlessly manage customer interactions, monitor stock levels, reorder items, and coordinate shipping—all without human intervention. This level of automation represents a groundbreaking shift, enabling businesses to operate on an unprecedented scale. Expanding the Reach of Digital Labor Autonomous AI agents are breaking traditional barriers of human availability and physical constraints, enabling businesses to scale globally and more efficiently. These digital workers are not limited by geography, opening opportunities previously restricted to specific locations. However, this shift comes with challenges. Ensuring trust, accountability, and transparency in AI systems is critical. Equally important is investing in human-centric skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability, which remain uniquely human. Sustainability is another concern, as AI-driven technologies place increasing demands on energy and resources. By addressing these issues, societies can unlock the full potential of digital labor while safeguarding the planet and human values. Transforming Everyday Lives Beyond businesses, autonomous agents are poised to transform personal lives. Personalized agents can act as tutors for students, guiding them through their learning journeys. For individuals, these agents can manage everyday tasks, from scheduling appointments to coordinating complex logistics. In healthcare, AI agents are already alleviating administrative burdens on providers. For example, intelligent agents can handle patient communications, monitor progress, and schedule follow-ups, freeing doctors and nurses to focus on complex cases. Such innovations hold the potential to revolutionize patient care and improve outcomes across the board. Navigating Disruption and Change Like any transformative technology, the rise of autonomous agents will bring disruptions. Some industries will struggle to adapt, and jobs will inevitably evolve—or, in some cases, disappear. History shows, however, that technological revolutions often create far more opportunities than they displace. For example, the U.S. workforce grew by over 100 million jobs between 1950 and 2020, many in industries that didn’t exist before. The key lies in preparing workers for new roles through education and training. Autonomous agents are essential in addressing global challenges such as labor shortages and stagnant productivity growth. They amplify human capabilities, driving innovation and boosting economic output. For example, in the third quarter of 2024, U.S. productivity rose by 2.2%, fueled in part by AI advancements. Driving Innovation and Collaboration AI agents are also fostering innovation, sparking the creation of new companies and industries. More than 5,000 AI-focused startups have emerged in the past decade in the U.S. alone. This trend mirrors the technological revolutions driven by past innovations like microchips, the internet, and smartphones. However, effectively harnessing agentic AI requires collaboration among governments, businesses, nonprofits, and academia. Initiatives like the G7’s framework for AI accountability and the Bletchley Declaration emphasize transparency, safety, and data privacy, offering critical guardrails as AI adoption accelerates. A Vision for the Future Autonomous agents represent a powerful force for change, offering unprecedented opportunities for businesses and individuals alike. By leveraging these technologies responsibly and investing in human potential, societies can ensure a future of abundance and progress. As Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, emphasizes, “AI has the potential to elevate every company, fuel economic growth, uplift communities, and lead to a future of abundance. If trust is our north star, agents will empower us to make a meaningful impact at an unprecedented scale.” Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
The life sciences industry is poised for significant evolution in 2025 as it navigates a dynamic landscape shaped by digital transformation, competitive pressures, business volatility, and shifting customer needs. Despite potential challenges, industry leaders remain optimistic about growth in the coming year. Deloitte’s recently released 2025 Life Sciences Outlook, published on December 10, 2024, offers a comprehensive overview of the trends and forces expected to shape the industry in the upcoming year. Drawing from a global survey of life sciences executives conducted by the Deloitte U.S. Center for Health Solutions, the report highlights key focus areas that will drive transformation and innovation. Key Trends Shaping the Life Sciences Industry in 2025 1. Digital Transformation Digital transformation continues to be a cornerstone of growth and innovation for the life sciences sector. Executives anticipate accelerated adoption of digital tools, with particular emphasis on: To stay ahead, life sciences companies are investing in transformative technologies, robust cybersecurity, and digital tools that enhance R&D, employee productivity, and customer engagement. 2. Competitive Pressures The competitive landscape in 2025 will be shaped by several key challenges: To address these pressures, companies are focusing on innovation, expanding their portfolios, and targeting profitable disease areas. Strategies include improving R&D productivity, enhancing clinical trial diversity, leveraging real-world evidence, and aligning M&A activities with corporate objectives. 3. Business Volatility Economic and regulatory uncertainties are adding layers of complexity to the business environment. Key drivers of business volatility include: To mitigate these risks, life sciences companies are optimizing operating models, enhancing supply chain resilience, and implementing global risk mitigation strategies to safeguard operations against unforeseen disruptions. 4. Evolving Customer Needs The rise of personalized medicine and digital adoption among patients is transforming customer expectations. Advances in genomics, biomarkers, and precision medicine are enabling companies to deliver more effective treatments with fewer side effects. In response to these shifts, life sciences firms are prioritizing customer-centric strategies by: As one senior executive from a German pharmaceutical company explained, “With advances in genomics and biomarkers, we can provide patients with more precise treatment options. This not only improves efficacy but also significantly reduces side effects, allowing patients to have a better treatment experience.” Outlook for 2025 Despite challenges, the outlook for the life sciences industry in 2025 remains positive. With 75% of surveyed executives expressing optimism, the sector is positioned for growth driven by innovation, strategic investment, and a commitment to addressing evolving market demands. As the industry continues to adapt to internal and external pressures, its ability to leverage digital transformation, overcome competitive challenges, and meet shifting customer needs will define its success in the year ahead. The 2025 Life Sciences Outlook underscores the importance of proactive strategies, forward-thinking investments, and adaptability in navigating this transformative era. By embracing these trends, life sciences companies can position themselves for sustainable growth and innovation in the years to come. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Criticizes Microsoft Copilot as “Repackaged ChatGPT” Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took aim at Microsoft’s Copilot AI offerings during Salesforce’s latest quarterly earnings call, dismissing them as a rebranding of OpenAI’s generative AI technology. “In many ways, it’s just repackaged ChatGPT,” Benioff asserted. He contrasted this with Salesforce’s platform, emphasizing its unique ability to operate an entire business. “You won’t find that capability on Microsoft’s website,” he added. Benioff highlighted Agentforce, Salesforce’s autonomous AI agent product, as a transformative force for both Salesforce and its customers. The tool, available on Salesforce’s support portal, is projected to manage up to half of the company’s annual support case volume. The portal currently handles over 60 million sessions and 2 million support cases annually. Agentforce Adoption and Partner Involvement Salesforce COO Brian Millham outlined the significant role of partners in driving Agentforce adoption. During the quarter, global partners were involved in 75% of Agentforce deals, including nine of Salesforce’s top 10 wins. More than 80,000 system integrators have completed Agentforce training, and numerous independent software vendors (ISVs) and technology partners are developing and selling AI agents. Millham pointed to Accenture as a notable example, leveraging Agentforce to enhance sales operations for its 52,000 global sellers. “Our partners are becoming agent-first enterprises themselves,” Millham said. Since its general availability on October 24, Agentforce has already secured 200 deals, with thousands more in the pipeline. Benioff described the tool as part of a broader shift toward digital labor, claiming, “Salesforce is now the largest supplier of digital labor.” Expanding Use Cases and Market Impact Agentforce, powered by Salesforce’s extensive data repository of 740,000 documents and 200–300 petabytes of information, supports diverse use cases, including resolving customer issues, qualifying leads, closing deals, and optimizing marketing campaigns. Salesforce has committed to hiring 1,000–2,000 additional salespeople to expand Agentforce adoption further. Benioff positioned Salesforce as the leading enterprise AI provider, citing its 2 trillion weekly transactions through its Einstein AI product. He claimed Salesforce’s unified codebase provides a competitive edge, unlike rival systems that run disparate applications, potentially limiting AI effectiveness. “This is a bold leap into the future of work,” Benioff said, “where AI agents collaborate with humans to revolutionize customer interactions.” AI Growth Across Salesforce Products AI-driven growth extended beyond Agentforce to other Salesforce products: Millham noted that AI-related $1 million+ deals more than tripled year over year. Financial Highlights For Q3 FY2024, Salesforce reported: Looking ahead, Salesforce expects Q4 revenue between $9.9 billion and $10.1 billion, representing 7%–9% year-over-year growth. The company raised its full fiscal year revenue guidance to $37.8–$38 billion, an 8%–9% increase. Industry and Product Insights Salesforce’s growth was driven by its core clouds and subscription services, with health, life sciences, manufacturing, and automotive industries performing particularly well. However, retail and consumer goods saw slower growth. While subscription revenue for MuleSoft and Tableau decelerated, Salesforce’s broader portfolio continued to deliver robust performance. Benioff concluded by emphasizing the transformative potential of Salesforce’s AI ecosystem: “This is the next evolution of Salesforce—an intelligent, scalable technology that’s no longer tied to workforce growth.” Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Introducing AI-Checking Agents: The Next Frontier in Software Quality Assurance The software industry has continually evolved in its pursuit of better quality assurance (QA) methods. While traditional approaches like unit testing and manual QA offer foundational tools, they often fail to meet the growing complexity of modern software. Automated testing and DevOps practices have helped, but these methods are still time-intensive, costly, and limited in scope. AI-Checking Agents. Enter AI-Checking Agents — an innovative solution leveraging generative AI to revolutionize software testing and quality assurance. These agents promise unprecedented coverage, speed, and efficiency, addressing the challenges of today’s demanding software ecosystems. Why AI-Checking Agents? Traditional QA methods fall short in delivering exhaustive coverage for the diverse behaviors and interactions of modern software. AI-Checking Agents close this gap by introducing: Synthetic Users: Revolutionizing User Experience (UX) Testing One of the most groundbreaking features of AI-Checking Agents is the ability to create synthetic users. These AI-driven personas simulate real-world user interactions, offering a novel approach to UX analysis. Key Features of Synthetic Users: UX Insights Delivered by Synthetic Users: Benefits of AI-Checking Agents in QA Integrating AI-Checking Agents with Existing QA Practices AI-Checking Agents are not a replacement for traditional methods but a powerful complement to existing practices: Transforming the Development Process AI-Checking Agents not only streamline QA but also enhance the overall development process: The Future of Quality Assurance AI-Checking Agents represent a paradigm shift in software testing, blending the best of AI-driven insights with traditional QA practices. By integrating these agents into their workflows, development teams can achieve: In a world of ever-evolving software demands, AI-Checking Agents are the key to achieving unparalleled speed, depth, and precision in quality assurance. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce Introduces Agentforce: A New AI Platform to Build Custom Digital Agents Salesforce has unveiled Agentforce, its latest AI platform designed to help companies build and deploy intelligent digital agents to automate a wide range of tasks. Building on Salesforce’s generative AI advancements, Agentforce integrates seamlessly with its existing tools, enabling businesses to enhance efficiency and decision-making through automation. Agentforce Custom AI Agents. With applications like generating reports from sales data, summarizing Slack conversations, and routing emails to the appropriate departments, Agentforce offers businesses unprecedented flexibility in automating routine processes. The Problem Agentforce Solves Salesforce’s journey in AI began in 2016 with the launch of Einstein, a suite of AI tools for its CRM software. While Einstein automated some tasks, its capabilities were largely predefined and lacked the flexibility to handle complex, dynamic scenarios. The rapid evolution of generative AI opened new doors for improving natural language understanding and decision-making. This led to innovations like Einstein GPT and later Einstein Copilot, which laid the foundation for Agentforce. With Agentforce, businesses can now create prebuilt or fully customizable agents that adapt to unique business needs. Agentforce Custom AI Agents “We recognized that our customers want to extend the agents we provide or build their own,” said Tyler Carlson, Salesforce’s Vice President of Business Development. How Agentforce Works At the heart of Agentforce is the Atlas Reasoning Engine, a proprietary technology developed by Salesforce. It leverages advanced techniques like ReAct prompting, which allows AI agents to break down problems into steps, reason through them, and iteratively refine their actions until they meet user expectations. Key Features: Ensuring Security and Compliance Given the potential risks of integrating third-party LLMs, Salesforce has implemented robust safeguards, including: AI in Action: Real-World Applications One notable use case of Agentforce is its collaboration with Workday to develop an AI Employee Service Agent. This agent helps employees find answers to HR-related questions using a company’s internal policies and documents. Another example involves agents autonomously managing general email inboxes by analyzing message intent and forwarding emails to relevant teams. “These agents are not monolithic or tied to a single LLM,” Carlson explained. “Their versatility lies in combining different models and technologies for better outcomes.” Measuring Success Salesforce gauges Agentforce’s success through client outcomes and platform adoption. For example, some users report that Agentforce resolves up to 90% of customer inquiries autonomously. Looking ahead, Salesforce aims to expand the Agentforce ecosystem significantly. “By next year, we want thousands of agent skills and topics available for customers to leverage,” Carlson added. A Platform for the Future of AI Agentforce represents Salesforce’s vision of creating autonomous AI agents that empower businesses to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. With tools like Agentbuilder and integrations across its ecosystem, Salesforce is positioning Agentforce as a cornerstone of AI-led innovation, helping businesses stay ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Sales channels are the platforms or methods through which a business sells its products or services to customers. These channels can be direct (e.g., e-commerce sites and retail stores) or indirect (e.g., resellers and marketplaces). Some businesses rely on a single channel, while others use a mix of several.
How Salesforce Agents are Transforming Internal Workflows Salesforce CIO and Executive Vice President Juan Perez, with three decades of IT leadership experience, is leading the charge in deploying generative AI solutions like Agentforce within Salesforce. Perez’s approach reflects lessons learned during his tenure at UPS, where he oversaw IT operations for a global enterprise. His strategies emphasize scalability, data strategy, and modernization to support growth, with AI now playing a pivotal role. UPS Lessons Applied to Salesforce Perez draws on his UPS experience in managing IT at scale to navigate Salesforce’s needs as a growing enterprise. At UPS, he managed a complex, global IT organization supporting diverse operations, from running an airline to ensuring timely package delivery. Similarly, Salesforce’s IT strategy prioritizes scalable solutions, robust data strategies, and AI integration. “Salesforce intelligently realized the importance of leveraging its own technologies, including AI, to modernize and support growth,” Perez explains. Generative AI’s Transformative Potential Perez views generative AI (GenAI) as a transformative force on par with the internet’s emergence in the 1990s. By reducing the time spent on data analysis and decision-making, AI enables teams to focus on actions that improve productivity and customer service. While GenAI isn’t a solution in itself, Perez sees it as an enabler that amplifies human efforts. Evaluating and Integrating AI in Salesforce’s Stack Salesforce adopts a rigorous, multi-step approach to evaluate new technologies, including large language models (LLMs) and generative AI tools. Perez outlines a “filtering mechanism” for implementation: This structured approach ensures AI investments are both impactful and sustainable. Measuring AI’s ROI To quantify the impact of AI, Salesforce evaluates metrics like lines of code generated using AI tools and time saved through automation. In one example, approximately 26% of production-ready code in a recent deployment was AI-generated. This efficiency is factored into planning and budgeting, allowing resources to be reallocated to other initiatives. Mitigating “Shadow AI” Risks Perez warns against “shadow AI,” where decentralized or unmanaged AI implementations can lead to security, data privacy, and investment inefficiencies. He stresses the need for visibility and governance to prevent these risks. To address this, Salesforce has established an AI Council that is evolving into an Agentforce Center of Excellence. This body ensures responsible development, aligns projects with organizational goals, and maintains oversight of AI implementations across the enterprise. Responsible and Scalable AI Adoption Salesforce’s commitment to using its own products extends to Agentforce, a generative AI suite designed to streamline internal workflows. With a focus on governance, scalability, and measurable impact, Salesforce sets a benchmark for AI adoption. As Perez explains, “We ensure our AI solutions are safe, effective, and capable of driving significant value while remaining aligned with our strategic goals.” By combining rigorous evaluation, measurable outcomes, and proactive governance, Salesforce demonstrates how AI can transform workflows while mitigating risks. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
