Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce’s Service Cloud business, highlighted the transformative impact of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT on corporate communication. According to Shih, these tools are positively influencing how companies and sales professionals interact with customers. Shih emphasized that the implementation of generative AI allows salespeople to delegate routine tasks, such as drafting sales emails, enabling them to concentrate on more meaningful customer interactions and problem-solving.
In a recent interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Shih drew a distinction between the application of generative AI for general users and its specific benefits for business clients and enterprise users. She clarified that the focus is on practical applications, such as creating personalized emails for sales, generating responses for customer service, and automatically producing code for developers. Salesforce recently launched Einstein GPT, which utilizes OpenAI’s advanced AI models, marking a significant step in bringing generative AI technology to customer relationship management (CRM).
Shih emphasized that the goal is to deliver enterprise-grade generative AI to clients of all sizes, emphasizing a commitment to tangible business outcomes. The announcement follows the trend in the tech industry, with various companies introducing their own generative AI-driven tools. Microsoft, for instance, plans to integrate AI into its CRM and ERP applications to compete with Salesforce. Google has introduced Bard, a ChatGPT competitor, while Meta and Snap are also exploring generative AI applications for their platforms.
Salesforce’s proactive approach includes launching a ChatGPT app for Slack, designed to assist in message composition and conversation summaries. Additionally, Salesforce Ventures has established a $250 million generative AI fund to support innovative developments in this field.