Salesforce’s new AI strategy sees AI taking over

Salesforce unveiled a breakthrough in its artificial intelligence strategy at its annual Dreamforce conference this week, saying its AI tools can perform tasks without human supervision and changing the way it charges for software.

The company is famous for ushering in the era of software-as-a-service, where you rent access to desktop applications via subscription. But as generative AI shakes up the industry, Salesforce is rethinking its business model for the emerging technology. The software giant will charge $2 for each conversation its new “agents” make—generative AI designed to handle tasks like customer service or scheduling sales meetings without requiring human supervision.

The new pricing strategy is also intended to protect Salesforce if AI leads to future job losses and business customers have fewer employees willing to purchase subscriptions to the company’s software.