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AI Causes Job Flux

AI Causes Job Flux

AI Barometer Signals Job Disruption Amid Global Productivity Gains A recent PwC report highlights significant productivity improvements worldwide, but also points to potential job disruption due to artificial intelligence (AI). Described as the “Industrial Revolution of knowledge work,” AI is transforming how workers utilize information, generate content, and deliver results at unprecedented speed and scale. The 2024 AI Jobs Barometer, released by PwC, aims to provide empirical data on the impact of AI on global employment. AI Causes Job Flux but not necessarly job loss. AI Causes Job Flux The analysis involved examining over half a billion job ads across 15 advanced economies, including the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and several European nations. PwC sought to uncover the effects of AI on jobs, skills, wages, and productivity by monitoring the rise of positions requiring specialist AI skills across various industries and regions. The findings show that AI adoption is accelerating, with workers proficient in AI commanding substantial wage premiums. Broader Workforce Impact Interestingly, the impact of AI extends beyond workers with specialized AI skills. According to PwC, the majority of workers leveraging AI tools do not require such expertise. In many cases, a small number of AI specialists design tools that are then used by thousands of customer service agents, analysts, or legal professionals—none of whom possess advanced AI knowledge. This trend is driven largely by generative AI applications, which can typically be operated using simple, everyday language without technical skills. AI’s Economic Promise AI is leading a productivity revolution. Labor productivity growth has stagnated in many OECD countries over the past two decades, but AI may offer a solution. To better understand its effect on productivity, PwC analyzed jobs based on their “AI exposure,” indicating the extent to which AI can assist with tasks within specific roles. The report found that industries with higher AI exposure are experiencing much greater labor productivity growth. Knowledge-based jobs, in particular, show the highest AI exposure and the greatest demand for workers with advanced AI skills. Sectors such as financial services, professional services, and information and communications are leading the way, with AI-related job shares 2.8x, 3x, and 5x higher, respectively, than other industries. Overall, these sectors are witnessing nearly fivefold productivity growth due to AI integration. AI is also playing a role in alleviating labor shortages. Jobs in customer service, administration, and IT, among others, are still growing but at a slower rate. AI-driven productivity may help fill gaps caused by shrinking working-age populations in advanced economies. Wage Premiums for AI Skills Workers in AI-specialist roles are seeing significant wage premiums—up to 25% on average. Since 2016, demand for these roles has outpaced the growth of the overall job market. The highest wage premiums are found in the U.S. (25%) and the U.K. (14%), with data specialists commanding premiums of over 50% in both countries. Financial analysts, lawyers, and marketing managers also enjoy substantial wage boosts. The Disruption of Job Markets The skills required for AI-exposed jobs are evolving rapidly. PwC’s report reveals that new skills are emerging 25% faster in AI-exposed occupations compared to those less affected by AI. Jobs requiring AI proficiency have grown 3.5 times faster than other roles since 2016, and this trend predates the rise of popular tools like ChatGPT. However, while AI is driving demand for new skills, it is also reducing the need for certain old ones. Jobs in fields like IT, design, sales, and data analysis are seeing slower growth, as tasks in these areas are increasingly automated by AI technologies. The Future of Work The PwC report stresses that AI will not necessarily result in fewer jobs overall, but will change the nature of work. Instead of asking whether AI can replicate existing tasks, the focus should be on how AI enables new opportunities and industries. Tectonic recommends you work on this trail of thought by implementing AI Acceptable Use Policies in your company. Encourage your teams to explore AI tools that increase productivity but clearly outline what is and is not acceptable AI usage. PwC outlines several steps for policymakers, business leaders, and workers to take to ensure a positive transition into the AI era. Policymakers are encouraged to promote AI adoption through supportive policies, digital infrastructure, and workforce development. Business leaders should embrace AI as a complement to human workers, focusing on generating new ways to create value. Meanwhile, workers must build AI-complementary skills and experiment with AI tools to remain competitive in the evolving job market. Ultimately, while AI is disrupting the job landscape, it also presents vast opportunities for those who are willing to adapt. Like past technological revolutions, those who embrace change stand to benefit the most from AI’s transformative power. 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

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Marketing Cloud Website Activity Collection

Marketing Cloud Website Activity Collection

Leveraging Website Activity Data in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Understanding how users interact with your website is essential for delivering personalized customer experiences. Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) offers robust tools to capture website activity and transform this data into actionable insights, enhancing your marketing strategies. This guide walks you through the process of collecting website activity data in SFMC. Marketing Cloud Website Activity Collection Before diving into the setup process, it’s important to understand the benefits of collecting website activity data: Now, let’s explore how to set up website activity tracking in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Set Up Marketing Cloud Website Activity Collection Step 1: Install Salesforce Marketing Cloud Tracking Code To begin collecting website activity, install the Salesforce Marketing Cloud tracking code on your website. Known as the “Web Collect” code, this script captures visitor behavior data and sends it to SFMC. Step 2: Configure Data Extensions After installing the tracking code, set up data extensions in SFMC to store the website activity data you collect. Step 3: Set Up Behavioral Triggers To maximize the value of your data, set up behavioral triggers in SFMC. These triggers can automatically send personalized communications based on specific website actions. Step 4: Leverage Advertising Studio for Retargeting To further enhance your marketing efforts, use Advertising Studio to create retargeting campaigns based on website activity data. Step 5: Monitor and Optimize After setting up website activity tracking, regularly monitor the performance of your campaigns and the quality of your collected data. Final Thoughts Collecting website activity data in Salesforce Marketing Cloud enables you to understand customer behavior better and deliver more personalized experiences. By following these steps—installing the tracking code, configuring data extensions, setting up behavioral triggers, and leveraging retargeting—you can effectively harness website activity data to elevate your marketing efforts. Start implementing these strategies today to unlock the full potential of Salesforce Marketing Cloud and drive deeper engagement and conversions. 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

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Slack Fuels Productivity

Set Up Salesforce and Slack Integration

Set Up Salesforce and Slack Integration for Sales Elevate and Salesforce Channels To use Sales Elevate or Salesforce channels in Slack, establish a connection between Salesforce and Slack. This setup allows your team members to access these features seamlessly. You can map Salesforce accounts to corresponding Slack accounts to ensure the right individuals access the right tools. Note: You must have Salesforce Admin permissions to complete the setup in Salesforce. Prepare Your Salesforce Org Before connecting Salesforce and Slack, complete the following steps in Salesforce: Step 1: Create and Configure a Salesforce Integration User An Integration User ensures proper permissions and prevents disconnection if your personal Salesforce account is deactivated or updated. Step 2: Allow the Integration User to Bypass SSO If your organization uses single sign-on (SSO), you’ll need to bypass it for the Integration User to complete authentication. Step 3: Assign Permissions to the Integration User Grant the Integration User access to Salesforce objects and fields used in Slack. Connect Slack to Salesforce With your Integration User ready, connect your Salesforce org to Slack. You can connect up to 25 Salesforce orgs to Slack. Step 1: Request a Connection in Slack Step 2: Approve the Connection in Salesforce Step 3: Activate the Connection in Slack Manually Map Member Accounts If you opt out of automatic mapping, you can manually map accounts: Remove Member Mapping Salesforce Admins can remove and reset member mappings: Assign Access to Salesforce Tools in Slack Manage access to Sales Elevate and Salesforce channels by assigning the Slack Elevate User permission set in Salesforce: This configuration streamlines collaboration, giving your team access to powerful Salesforce tools directly in Slack. 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

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Revolution Customer Service with Agentforce

Revolution Customer Service with Agentforce

Agentforce stole the spotlight at Dreamforce, but it’s not just about replacing human workers. Equally significant for Service Cloud was the focus on how AI can be leveraged to make agents, dispatchers, and field service technicians more productive and proactive. Join a conversation to unpack the latest Sales Cloud innovations, with a spotlight on Agentforce for sales followed by a Q&A with Salesblazers. During the Dreamforce Service Cloud keynote, GM Kishan Chetan emphasized the dramatic shift over the past year, with AI moving from theoretical to practical applications. He challenged customer service leaders to embrace AI agents, highlighting that AI-driven solutions can transform customer service from delivering “good” benefits to achieving exponential growth. He noted that AI agents are capable of handling common customer requests like tech support, scheduling, and general inquiries, as well as more complex tasks such as de-escalation, billing inquiries, and even cross-selling and upselling. In practice, research by Valoir shows that most Service Cloud customers are still in the early stages of AI adoption, particularly with generative AI. While progress has accelerated recently, most companies are only seeing incremental gains in individual productivity rather than the exponential improvements highlighted at Dreamforce. To achieve those higher-level returns, customers must move beyond simple automation and summarization to AI-driven transformation, powered by Agentforce. Chetan and his team outlined four key steps to make this transition. “Agentforce represents the Third Wave of AI—advancing beyond copilots to a new era of highly accurate, low-hallucination intelligent agents that actively drive customer success. Unlike other platforms, Agentforce is a revolutionary and trusted solution that seamlessly integrates AI across every workflow, embedding itself deeply into the heart of the customer journey. This means anticipating needs, strengthening relationships, driving growth, and taking proactive action at every touchpoint,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. “While others require you to DIY your AI, Agentforce offers a fully tailored, enterprise-ready platform designed for immediate impact and scalability. With advanced security features, compliance with industry standards, and unmatched flexibility. Our vision is bold: to empower one billion agents with Agentforce by the end of 2025. This is what AI is meant to be.” In contrast to now-outdated copilots and chatbots that rely on human requests and strugglewith complex or multi-step tasks, Agentforce offers a new level of sophistication by operating autonomously, retrieving the right data on demand, building action plans for any task, and executing these plans without requiring human intervention. Like a self-driving car, Agentforce uses real-time data to adapt to changing conditions and operates independently within an organizations’ customized guardrails, ensuring every customer interaction is informed, relevant, and valuable. And when desired, Agentforce seamlessly hands off to human employees with a summary of the interaction, an overview of the customer’s details, and recommendations for what to do next. Deploy AI agents across channelsAgentforce Service Agent is more than a chatbot—it’s an autonomous AI agent capable of handling both simple and complex requests, understanding text, video, and audio. Customers were invited to build their own Service Agents during Dreamforce, and many took up the challenge. Service-related agents are a natural fit, as research shows Service Cloud customers are generally more prepared for AI adoption due to the volume and quality of customer data available in their CRM systems. Turn insights into actionLaunching in October 2024, Customer Experience Intelligence provides an omnichannel supervisor Wall Board that allows supervisors to monitor conversations in real time, complete with sentiment scores and organized metrics by topics and regions. Supervisors can then instruct Service Agent to dive into root causes, suggest proactive messaging, or even offer discounts. This development represents the next stage of Service Intelligence, combining Data Cloud, Tableau, and Einstein Conversation Mining to give supervisors real-time insights. It mirrors capabilities offered by traditional contact center vendors like Verint, which also blend interaction, sentiment, and other data in real time—highlighting the convergence of contact centers and Service Cloud service operations. Empower teams to become trusted advisorsSalesforce continues to navigate the delicate balance between digital and human agents, especially within Service Cloud. The key lies in the intelligent handoff of customer data when escalating from a digital agent to a human agent. Service Planner guides agents step-by-step through issue resolution, powered by Unified Knowledge. The demo also showcased how Service Agent can merge Commerce and Service by suggesting agents offer complimentary items from a customer’s shopping cart. Enable field teams to be proactiveSalesforce also announced improvements in field service, designed to help dispatchers and field service agents operate more proactively and efficiently. Agentforce for Dispatchers enhances the ability to address urgent appointments quickly. Asset Service Prediction leverages AI to forecast asset failures and upcoming service needs, while AI-generated prework briefs provide field techs with asset health scores and critical information before they arrive on site. Setting a clear roadmap for adopting Agentforce across these four areas is an essential step toward helping customers realize more than just incremental gains in their service operations. Equally important will be helping customers develop a data strategy that harnesses the power of Data Cloud and Salesforce’s partner ecosystem, enabling a truly data-driven service experience. Investments in capabilities like My Service Journeys will also be critical in guiding customers through the process of identifying which AI features will deliver the greatest returns for their specific needs. Agentforce leverages Salesforce’s generative AI, like Einstein GPT, to automate routine tasks, provide real-time insights, and offer personalized recommendations, enhancing efficiency and enabling agents to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Agentforce is not just another traditional chatbot; it is a next-generation, AI-powered solution that understands complex queries and acts autonomously to enhance operational efficiency. Unlike conventional chatbots, Agentforce is intelligent and adaptive, capable of managing a wide range of customer issues with precision. It offers 24/7 support, responds in a natural, human-like manner, and seamlessly escalates to human agents when needed and redefining customer service by delivering faster, smarter, and more effective support experiences. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM

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Weekly Opportunity Report

Weekly Opportunity Report

Building a Weekly Opportunity Report with Different Criteria for Various Opportunity Types An individual was attempting to create a weekly opportunity report using complex filter logic to accommodate different criteria for various types of opportunities. Initially, they tried using the standard “Gifts with Payments” report type but faced challenges due to the nature of the opportunities. Some opportunities needed to be included based on the Close Date, while others were based on the GL Post Date. Since some opportunities have multiple payments, they wanted to use the GL Post Date from the payment record. However, not all opportunities have payment records, such as in-kind gifts. When they filtered by the Payment GL Post Date, it excluded all in-kind gifts, even though this filter was not relevant to them. The in-kind gifts matched the logic for the Close Date (e.g., 2 AND NOT 4 AND NOT 6 AND 8), but they were still being excluded. Here’s the challenge they faced: They also highlighted that the General Ledger Post Date and Payment GL Post Date are custom fields populated manually. The individual is looking for a solution to resolve this issue, allowing them to generate a report that properly includes opportunities based on the necessary criteria while keeping in-kind gifts in the report. 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

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Salesforce Agentforce Integration

Salesforce Agentforce Integration

The rise of AI-powered solutions is transforming customer service, support, and automation. For organizations such as nonprofits, national associations, and large enterprises, delivering seamless customer experiences has become crucial. Salesforce’s Agentforce, a next-generation conversational AI tool, plays a vital role in this transformation. Designed to elevate customer support and interaction, Agentforce provides an intelligent and scalable solution for integrating AI chatbots into content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot. Salesforce Agentforce Integration. In this detailed feature review, we will dive into the extensive capabilities of Salesforce Agentforce, analyzing its role as a conversational tool, its technical requirements, and the benefits it provides for nonprofits, national associations, and businesses. We’ll also compare its applications across various CMS platforms like Drupal, WordPress, and HubSpot, exploring its potential as a powerful AI assistant for website automation and customer interaction. Salesforce Agentforce: A Technical Perspective Salesforce Agentforce is an advanced AI-driven conversational assistant that seamlessly integrates into the Salesforce environment. By tapping into Salesforce CRM’s vast data resources, Agentforce serves as an intelligent interface, automating everything from initial customer inquiries to more personalized interactions. Utilizing natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, it continually refines responses and scales interactions, making it an indispensable tool for organizations aiming to enhance customer service workflows. Agentforce integrates smoothly with Salesforce Service Cloud, automating both live chat support and chatbot responses. Additionally, it can connect with third-party platforms, including popular CMS solutions like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot, allowing organizations to centralize customer service operations in one interface. Core Features and Technical Architecture of Agentforce Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Processing (NLP) Agentforce’s NLP capabilities are its backbone, allowing it to understand complex human language and respond contextually. This empowers it to manage initial inquiries as well as more sophisticated support requests. Agentforce’s NLU also enables it to work across different languages, dialects, and industry-specific terminology, making it particularly valuable for global organizations and national associations serving diverse audiences. Machine Learning for Continuous Improvement Agentforce’s machine learning feature enhances its ability to improve accuracy and understanding over time. Each interaction helps the chatbot evolve, making it more effective at delivering relevant, real-time responses. This model integrates directly with Salesforce’s data infrastructure, giving Agentforce access to historical data and interactions to offer highly personalized, context-aware answers. Deep Integration with Salesforce CRM As a Salesforce-native tool, Agentforce can harness CRM data in ways other AI tools cannot. By accessing customer histories, purchase data, and previous interactions, it creates personalized experiences that build customer trust. Nonprofits and associations can use this data to improve donor or member interactions, offering targeted support and outreach. Agentforce can also be tailored to retrieve specific datasets, such as an individual’s support history or ongoing service case updates. Cross-Platform Flexibility and API Integration Agentforce offers flexible APIs that enable integration with third-party systems, including CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot. This flexibility ensures that AI-powered chatbots can be deployed on organizational websites, providing a seamless experience for customers, donors, and members alike. Whether it’s a nonprofit using Drupal or a business on WordPress, Agentforce acts as the central hub for support and engagement, offering fluid interactions on top of your CMS. HubSpot users can further leverage Agentforce’s marketing features to align lead generation with personalized, chat-based interactions. Use Cases for Agentforce in Nonprofits, National Associations, and Businesses Nonprofit Organizations For nonprofits managing donor, volunteer, and beneficiary relationships, Agentforce offers scalable, automated support: National Associations National associations can use Agentforce to handle high volumes of inquiries from members and professionals: Businesses For service-based enterprises, Agentforce is essential for customer service: Salesforce Agentforce and CMS Integration: WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot WordPress and Salesforce Agentforce Integration For WordPress users, Agentforce offers customizable chatbot widgets that enhance customer engagement, handle ecommerce inquiries, and integrate with WooCommerce for product support. Drupal and Agentforce Integration Drupal’s modular architecture allows Agentforce to automate membership management, provide multilingual support, and distribute content for nonprofits and associations. HubSpot and Agentforce Integration HubSpot users benefit from Agentforce’s ability to automate lead nurturing, sales and marketing workflows, and customer support, all while keeping HubSpot and Salesforce CRM data synchronized. Tectonic and Salesforce Agentforce Integration At Tectonic, we understand that adopting AI-powered solutions like Salesforce Agentforce is only the first step toward delivering exceptional customer experiences. We specialize in crafting, training, and implementing tailored AI chatbot solutions that enhance engagement, streamline processes, and drive growth, all while seamlessly integrating with your current website or mobile app. As a full-service digital strategy firm, Tectonic excels in integrating advanced tools like Salesforce Agentforce into platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot, ensuring your automation strategies are executed with precision. From custom chatbot implementations to comprehensive digital strategy services, our team is dedicated to optimizing your website for engagement and lead generation. 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

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Salesforce LlamaRank

Salesforce LlamaRank

Document ranking remains a critical challenge in information retrieval and natural language processing. Effective document retrieval and ranking are crucial for enhancing the performance of search engines, question-answering systems, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems. Traditional ranking models often struggle to balance result precision with computational efficiency, especially when dealing with large datasets and diverse query types. This challenge underscores the growing need for advanced models that can provide accurate, contextually relevant results in real-time from continuous data streams and increasingly complex queries. Salesforce AI Research has introduced a cutting-edge reranker named LlamaRank, designed to significantly enhance document ranking and code search tasks across various datasets. Built on the Llama3-8B-Instruct architecture, LlamaRank integrates advanced linear and calibrated scoring mechanisms, achieving both speed and interpretability. The Salesforce AI Research team developed LlamaRank as a specialized tool for document relevancy ranking. Enhanced by iterative feedback from their dedicated RLHF data annotation team, LlamaRank outperforms many leading APIs in general document ranking and sets a new standard for code search performance. The model’s training data includes high-quality synthesized data from Llama3-70B and Llama3-405B, along with human-labeled annotations, covering a broad range of domains from topic-based search and document QA to code QA. In RAG systems, LlamaRank plays a crucial role. Initially, a query is processed using a less precise but cost-effective method, such as semantic search with embeddings, to generate a list of potential documents. The reranker then refines this list to identify the most relevant documents, ensuring that the language model is fine-tuned with only the most pertinent information, thereby improving accuracy and coherence in the output responses. LlamaRank’s architecture, based on Llama3-8B-Instruct, leverages a diverse training corpus of synthetic and human-labeled data. This extensive dataset enables LlamaRank to excel in various tasks, from general document retrieval to specialized code searches. The model underwent multiple feedback cycles from Salesforce’s data annotation team to achieve optimal accuracy and relevance in its scoring predictions. During inference, LlamaRank predicts token probabilities and calculates a numeric relevance score, facilitating efficient reranking. Demonstrated on several public datasets, LlamaRank has shown impressive performance. For instance, on the SQuAD dataset for question answering, LlamaRank achieved a hit rate of 99.3%. It posted a hit rate of 92.0% on the TriviaQA dataset. In code search benchmarks, LlamaRank recorded a hit rate of 81.8% on the Neural Code Search dataset and 98.6% on the TrailheadQA dataset. These results highlight LlamaRank’s versatility and efficiency across various document types and query scenarios. LlamaRank’s technical specifications further emphasize its advantages. Supporting up to 8,000 tokens per document, it significantly outperforms competitors like Cohere’s reranker. It delivers low-latency performance, ranking 64 documents in under 200 ms with a single H100 GPU, compared to approximately 3.13 seconds on Cohere’s serverless API. Additionally, LlamaRank features linear scoring calibration, offering clear and interpretable relevance scores. While LlamaRank’s size of 8 billion parameters contributes to its high performance, it is approaching the upper limits of reranking model size. Future research may focus on optimizing model size to balance quality and efficiency. Overall, LlamaRank from Salesforce AI Research marks a significant advancement in reranking technology, promising to greatly enhance RAG systems’ effectiveness across a wide range of applications. With its powerful performance, efficiency, and clear scoring, LlamaRank represents a major step forward in document retrieval and search accuracy. The community eagerly anticipates its broader adoption and further development. 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

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AI All Grown Up

AI All Grown Up

If you thought Salesforce had fully embraced AI, think again. The company has much more in store. AI All Grown Up and Salesforce is the educator! Alongside the announcement of the new Agentforce platform, Salesforce has teased plans to offer free premium instructor-led courses and AI certifications throughout 2025, reflecting a bold commitment to fostering AI skills and expertise. We’ve talked quite a bit over the last year about the need for AI education, and lo and behold here comes Salesforce to the rescue! AI All Grown Up Ah, they grow up so fast. Once just a baby cradeled in our arms with endless possibilities and potential. It was just like a year or so ago we heard of ChatGPT. Prior to that most people’s main exposure to artificial intelligence was their smart phones, which today we realize weren’t reall that smart. Generative, predictive and agentic AI have barreled down the pipeline increasing our vocabulary, and understanding, of what artificial intelligence can do. From generative content to sounds and images, AI continued to amaze us. Then predictive AI did our calculations faster than we could have imagined. Then agentic AI did nearly everything imaginable. AI All Grown Up. Like a very proud mentor of the process, I want to talk about Salesforce’s major contribution. Addressing the AI Skills Gap: Salesforce’s $50 Million Investment As the veritable plethora of AI tools rapidly expands, Salesforce is taking proactive steps to address the growing AI skills gap by investing $50 million into workforce upskilling initiatives. The company aims to ensure that businesses and individuals are prepared to utilize their new wave of AI tools effectively. While the full details have yet to be released, Salesforce has revealed that its premium AI courses and certifications will be made available for free via Trailhead by the end of 2025. This could mean certifications such as AI Associate and AI Specialist, which currently cost $75 and $200 respectively, may soon be offered at no cost. Gratis. Free, Salesforce has also mentioned “premium instructor-led training,” sparking speculation that AI-focused, instructor-led Trailhead Academy courses could become accessible to everyone in the Salesforce ecosystem. Expanding AI Education with Global AI Centers Salesforce’s AI upskilling push is part of a broader initiative to establish “AI Centers” across the globe. Following the opening of its first center in London in June, Salesforce is planning to launch additional AI hubs in cities like Chicago, Tokyo, Sydney, and even a pop-up center in San Francisco. These centers will host in-person premium courses and serve as gathering spaces for industry experts, partners, and customers. This initiative benefits not only the Salesforce ecosystem by increasing AI knowledge where expertise is scarce, but also aligns with Salesforce’s strategy of bringing AI-driven solutions to market through new products like Copilot Studio, Data Cloud, and the newly launched Agentforce platform. Agentforce: Salesforce’s Third Wave of AI On August 28, 2024, Salesforce introduced Agentforce, a suite of autonomous AI agents that marks a significant leap in how businesses engage with customers. Described as the “Third Wave of AI,” Agentforce goes beyond traditional chatbots, providing intelligent agents capable of driving customer success with minimal human intervention. What is Agentforce? Agentforce is a comprehensive platform designed for organizations to build, customize, and deploy autonomous AI agents across various business functions, such as customer service, sales, marketing, and commerce. These agents operate independently, accessing data, crafting action plans, and executing tasks without needing constant human oversight. It is like Artificial Intelligence just graduated highschool and is off to a world of new adventures and growth opportunities at college or university! Key Features of Agentforce: The Technology Behind Agentforce At the core of Agentforce is the Atlas Reasoning Engine, a system designed to mimic human reasoning. Here’s how it works: Customization Tools: Agent Builder Agentforce provides tools like Agent Builder, a low-code platform for customizing out-of-the-box agents or creating new ones for specific business needs. With this tool, users can: The Agentforce Partner Network Salesforce’s partner ecosystem plays a key role in Agentforce’s versatility, with contributions from companies like AWS, Google, IBM, and Workday. Together, they’ve developed over 20 agent actions available through the Salesforce AppExchange. As proud parents we watch our Artificial Intelligence child venture into the world making friends along the way. Learning social skills. Benefits and Impact of Agentforce Early Adopters and Success Stories Several companies are already benefiting from Agentforce: Availability and Pricing of Salesforce’s AI All Grown Up Agentforce for Service and Sales will be generally available on October 25, 2024, with some components of the Atlas Reasoning Engine launching in February 2025. Pricing starts at $2 per conversation, with volume discounts available. The Future of AI and Work Salesforce’s ambitious vision is to empower one billion AI agents with Agentforce by the end of 2025. This reflects their belief that the future of work will involve a hybrid workforce, where humans and AI agents collaborate to drive customer success. AI All Grown Up and We Couldn’t Be Prouder Our amazing AI child has graduated college and ventured out into the workforce. Agentforce vs. Einstein Bots: What’s the Difference? Conclusion Agentforce represents a major leap forward in AI-powered customer engagement. By providing autonomous, intelligent agents capable of managing complex tasks, Salesforce is positioning itself at the forefront of AI innovation. As businesses continue to explore ways to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, Agentforce could redefine how organizations interact with customers and streamline their operations. If this is the Third Wave of AI, what will the fourth wave bring? Written by Tectonic’s Solutions Architect, Shannan Hearne 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

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Natural Language Processing Explained

Natural Language Processing Explained

What is Natural Language Processing (NLP)? Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that enables computers to interpret, analyze, and generate human language. By leveraging machine learning, computational linguistics, and deep learning, NLP helps machines understand written and spoken words, making communication between humans and computers more seamless. I apologize folks. I am feeling like the unicorn who missed the Ark. Tectonic has been providing you with tons of great material on artificial intelligence, but we left out a basic building block. Without further ado, Natural Language Processing Explained. Like a lot of components of AI, we often are using it without knowing we are using it. NLP is widely used in everyday applications such as: How Does NLP Work? Natural Language Processing combines several techniques, including computational linguistics, machine learning, and deep learning. It works by breaking down language into smaller components, analyzing these components, and then drawing conclusions based on patterns. If you have ever read a first grader’s reading primer it is the same thing. Learn a little three letter word. Recognize the meaning of the word. Understand it in the greater context of the sentence. Key NLP preprocessing steps include: Why Is NLP Important? NLP plays a vital role in automating and improving human-computer interactions by enabling systems to interpret, process, and respond to vast amounts of textual and spoken data. By automating tasks like sentiment analysis, content classification, and question answering, NLP boosts efficiency and accuracy across industries. For example: Key Use Cases of NLP in Business NLP Tasks NLP enables machines to handle various language tasks, including: Approaches to NLP Future of NLP NLP is becoming more integral in daily life as technology improves. From customer service chatbots to medical record summarization, NLP continues to evolve, but challenges remain, including improving coherence and reducing biases in machine-generated text. Essentially, NLP transforms the way machines and humans interact, making technology more intuitive and accessible across a range of industries. By Tectonic Solutions Architect – Shannan Hearne 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

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Ethical AI Implementation

Ethical AI Implementation

AI technologies are rapidly evolving, becoming a practical solution to support essential business operations. However, creating true business value from AI requires a well-balanced approach that considers people, processes, and technology. Ethical AI Implementation. AI encompasses various forms, including machine learning, deep learning, predictive analytics, natural language processing, computer vision, and automation. To leverage AI’s competitive advantages, companies need a strong foundation and a realistic strategy aligned with their business goals. “Artificial intelligence is multifaceted,” said John Carey, managing director at AArete, a business management consultancy. “There’s often hype and, at times, exaggeration about how ‘intelligent’ AI truly is.” Business Advantages of AI Adoption Recent advancements in generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Dall-E, have showcased AI’s significant impact on businesses. According to a McKinsey Global Survey, global AI adoption surged from around 50% over the past six years to 72% in 2024. Some key benefits of adopting AI include: Prerequisites for AI Implementation Successfully implementing AI can be complex. A detailed understanding of the following prerequisites is crucial for achieving positive results: 13 Steps for Successful AI Implementation Common AI Implementation Mistakes Organizations often stumble by: Key Challenges in Ethical AI Implementation Human-related challenges often present the biggest hurdles. To overcome them, organizations must foster data literacy and build trust among stakeholders. Additionally, challenges around data management, model governance, system integration, and intellectual property need to be addressed. Ensuring Ethical AI Implementation To ensure responsible AI use, companies should: Ethical AI implementation requires a continuous commitment to transparency, fairness, and inclusivity across all levels of the organization. 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

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Salesforce for K-12 and Higher Education

Technology to Showcase the Value of Education

How Can Technology Convince Students of the Value of Higher Education? With fewer high school graduates choosing college, technology has a unique role in reigniting students’ belief in higher education. Imagine a high school student eagerly checking the mail and finding an acceptance letter from their dream college, ready to start a journey filled with opportunities, lifelong friends, and a promising future. Just a couple of decades ago, that was a common story. Today, many high schoolers aren’t looking for acceptance letters at all, uncertain if college is the best or even most practical path to success. Higher education now faces a new challenge: proving its worth to students who are increasingly weighing their options. Universities no longer simply wait for students to apply—they need to actively demonstrate that the investment will pay off. Enrollment Data Signals a Shift Away from College Once seen as a distinctive achievement, college attendance has become less of a given. In 1980, only 49% of high school graduates went on to higher education. By 2009, that number had surged to over 70%, but has since declined; by 2022, just 62% of graduates were heading straight to college. Now, with the “enrollment cliff”—a projected decrease in college-aged students due to lower birth rates—looming, colleges face intense competition to attract students. Personalization Is Key to Connecting with Students The days of “Dear applicant” are over. Today’s digital-native students want a personalized approach that speaks directly to them. If they don’t feel personally addressed through email, text, video, or even traditional mail, they may tune out and explore other options. Universities must build meaningful connections to engage students and keep their attention through every stage of the student journey. Student lifecycle management platforms, like Salesforce’s Education Cloud, have become essential tools for higher education institutions. By tracking and analyzing a student’s data—academic performance, extracurricular interests, and social behaviors—these platforms create personalized experiences that engage students from admission to graduation. Salesforce Education Cloud, for example, uses AI and robust data analytics to create a comprehensive student profile, enabling colleges to send tailored communications, schedule regular check-ins, and even reach out to parents. This personalized approach fosters a sense of connection that encourages students to enroll and stay engaged throughout their academic journey. Comprehensive Lifecycle Management and Student Support Beyond admissions, student lifecycle platforms offer extensive features that address other critical areas, from helping students who are academically struggling to managing alumni relationships and fundraising. With years of experience in supporting institutions nationwide, CDW Education partners with colleges to implement these technologies, strengthening their ability to attract, engage, and retain students. In an era when students have more educational choices than ever, colleges must actively communicate the value of a college degree and make that message resonate with each individual. By investing in technology that personalizes the student experience, higher education institutions can create a compelling case for the unique value they offer. 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

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Competitive Landscape of Retail

Navigate the Competitive Landscape of Retail

A shorter shopping season, the rise of Chinese shopping apps, and value-conscious consumers are expected to result in modest growth this holiday season. According to Salesforce’s 2024 holiday shopping forecast, U.S. holiday sales (Nov. 1 – Dec. 31) are projected to grow 2% year-over-year, reaching $277 billion. Global sales are also predicted to increase by 2%, totaling .19 trillion. This reflects softer growth compared to 2023, when global holiday sales rose by 3%. Challenges Ahead Salesforce warns that the 2024 holiday season may be difficult for retailers, with consumers having less spending power, a shortened 26-day shopping window between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and 43% of shoppers carrying more debt than last year. Additionally, 47% of surveyed shoppers plan to spend the same as in 2023, while 40% intend to spend less. New data from Salesforce’s Shopping Index shows that two-thirds of global consumers say price will dictate their shopping choices, while less than a third will prioritize product quality. Impact of Chinese Shopping Apps Salesforce predicts that 21% of holiday purchases will come from Chinese apps like Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and TikTok, with 35% of consumers reporting increased use of these apps. TikTok, in particular, saw a 24% increase in purchases since April 2024, highlighting the growing influence of Chinese platforms on holiday shopping. Retail Strategies To navigate the competitive landscape, Salesforce recommends retailers use strategic discounts and AI-powered tools to improve efficiency, enhance customer relationships, and boost profit margins. “This season will be competitive and focused on pricing strategies,” said Caila Schwartz, Salesforce’s director of strategy and consumer insights. “Leveraging AI and customer data is essential to guide marketing campaigns and holiday promotions.” Key Findings Salesforce’s insights are based on data from 1.5 billion global shoppers across 64 countries, focusing on 12 key markets, including the U.S., Canada, and U.K. 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

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Databricks Tools

Databricks Tools

Databricks recently introduced Databricks Apps, a toolkit designed to simplify AI and data application development. By integrating native development platforms and offering automatic provisioning of serverless compute, the toolkit enables customers to more easily develop and deploy applications. Databricks Apps builds on the existing capabilities of Mosaic AI, which allows users to integrate large language models (LLMs) with their enterprise’s proprietary data. However, the ability to develop interactive AI applications, such as generative AI chatbots, was previously missing. Databricks Apps addresses this gap, allowing developers to build and deploy custom applications entirely within the secure Databricks environment. According to Donald Farmer, founder and principal of TreeHive Strategy, Databricks Apps removes obstacles like the need to set up separate infrastructure for development and deployment, making the process easier and more efficient. The new features allow companies to go beyond implementing AI/ML models and create differentiated applications that leverage their unique data sets. Kevin Petrie, an analyst at BARC U.S., highlighted the significance of Databricks Apps in helping companies develop custom AI applications, which are essential for maintaining a competitive edge. Databricks, founded in 2013, was one of the pioneers of the data lakehouse storage format, and over the last two years, it has expanded its platform to focus on AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities. The company’s $1.3 billion acquisition of MosaicML in June 2023 was a key milestone in building its AI environment. Databricks has since launched DBRX, its own large language model, and introduced further functionalities through product development. Databricks Apps, now available in public preview on AWS and Azure, advances these AI development capabilities, simplifying the process of building applications within a single platform. Developers can use frameworks like Dash, Flask, Gradio, Shiny, and Streamlit, or opt for integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code or PyCharm. The toolkit also provides prebuilt Python templates to accelerate development. Additionally, applications can be deployed and managed directly in Databricks, eliminating the need for external infrastructures. Databricks Apps includes security features such as access control and data lineage through the Unity Catalog. Farmer noted that the support for popular developer frameworks and the automatic provisioning of serverless compute could significantly impact the AI development landscape by reducing the complexity of deploying data architectures. While competitors like AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Snowflake have also made AI a key focus, Farmer pointed out that Databricks’ integration of AI tools into a unified platform sets it apart. Databricks Apps further enhances this competitive advantage. Despite the added capabilities of Databricks Apps, Petrie cautioned that developing generative AI applications still requires a level of expertise in data, AI, and the business domain. While Databricks aims to make AI more accessible, users will still need substantial knowledge to effectively leverage these tools. Databricks’ vice president of product management, Shanku Niyogi, explained that the new features in Databricks Apps were driven by customer feedback. As enterprise interest in AI grows, customers sought easier ways to develop and deploy internal data applications in a secure environment. Looking ahead, Databricks plans to continue investing in simplifying AI application development, with a focus on enhancing Mosaic AI and expanding its collaborative AI partner ecosystem. Farmer suggested that the company should focus on supporting nontechnical users and emerging AI technologies like multimodal models, which will become increasingly important in the coming years. The introduction of Databricks Apps marks a significant step forward in Databricks’ AI and machine learning strategy, offering users a more streamlined approach to building and deploying AI applications. 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

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