Force seeks reductions in workforce concurrently with boosted AI employment drive
Salesforce Embraces AI: Shifting Focus, Not Eliminating Jobs
In a move that sets it apart from other tech companies, Salesforce is not planning to cut any specific business units as part of its AI push. Instead, the company is focusing on using AI to augment productivity and transition employees into new roles [1][4].
Recently, Salesforce announced a temporary pause in recruiting engineers, lawyers, and customer service agents in 2025. This decision is aimed at allowing AI-driven productivity gains to take effect before resuming hiring in these areas. However, the company is increasing hiring in sales-related positions to meet growing customer demand for AI-powered solutions, particularly targeting small and medium businesses (SMBs) and mid-market segments amplified by AI capabilities [3].
This approach contrasts with other tech companies undergoing AI-related layoffs but emphasizes AI as a tool for augmenting the workforce instead of replacing it [1][3][4]. Affected employees at Salesforce will be able to apply for alternative internal positions.
Salesforce's commitment to its workforce is evident in its launch of Agentforce, an agentic AI service, in September 2024 [2]. The productivity gains from AI agents working alongside engineers at Salesforce are significant, with CEO Marc Benioff suggesting that the company could consider a freeze on software engineering hires in 2025 due to the productivity boosts delivered by AI [5].
This is not the first time Salesforce has implemented changes to adapt to the evolving tech landscape. In early 2023, the company laid off 10% of its global workforce. However, Salesforce is expected to cut around 1,000 roles, a smaller figure compared to the 152,000 job losses over nearly 550 companies tracked by Layoffs.fyi in the past year [6].
Other tech companies, such as SAP, Workday, Cisco, Dell, and Meta, have also announced layoffs to focus on "high-growth areas", notably AI [7]. Salesforce's CEO, Marc Benioff, has been vocal about the potential of AI and the possibility of agents replacing human workers in certain business areas [8]. However, Benioff has also emphasized that AI is a tool to help employees, not replace them.
In summary:
| Aspect | Salesforce Position | |-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Business unit cuts | None planned; no mass layoffs | | Layoffs | Ruled out large-scale layoffs; focus on reskilling | | Hiring freeze | Engineers, lawyers, customer service roles paused in 2025 | | Hiring growth | Sales-related roles to support AI deployment to customers |
[1] Salesforce CEO emphasizes AI as a tool to augment workforce, not replace it. (2023). [Link] [2] Salesforce launches Agentforce, its agentic AI service. (2024). [Link] [3] Salesforce pauses hiring engineers, lawyers, and customer service agents in 2025. (2025). [Link] [4] Salesforce's AI push: No mass layoffs, focus on reskilling employees. (2025). [Link] [5] Benioff suggests Salesforce could consider a freeze on software engineering hires in 2025. (2025). [Link] [6] Layoffs.fyi tracks more than 152,000 job losses over nearly 550 companies in the past year. (2025). [Link] [7] Tech companies announce layoffs to focus on AI. (2023). [Link] [8] Benioff discusses the potential of AI and the possibility of agents replacing human workers. (2023). [Link]
- In response to the focus on AI development, Salesforce is not eliminating any specific business units, such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, networking, and technology, but rather aiming to use AI to enhance productivity and transition employees into new roles within these areas.
- Despite other tech companies downsizing workforces in the realm of engineering and customer service to concentrate on high-growth areas like AI, Salesforce has increased hiring in sales-related positions to meet the growing demand for AI-powered solutions in small and medium businesses, reinforcing its stance that technology advancements are tools to empower and evolve, not replace, its workforce.
