The Future Belongs to AEs Who Embrace AI

We sat down with successful Account Executives (AEs) across three continents. Our key takeaway: the future of sales isn’t about AI replacing human connection — it’s about AI amplifying what makes each seller successful. It’s about powering your possibilities with agents.

Meet three sellers who prove this point beautifully. 

• Mitja Zittel, an AE in Europe, approaches selling like a chess pro — structured, strategic, always thinking three moves ahead.
• Neha Singh, an AE in India, approaches selling with her whole heart — listening deeply, building trust slowly, then turning transactions into partnerships. 
• Michelle Forte, Agentforce Specialist AE in America, discovered something revolutionary: the shift from selling software to selling the future of business operations.

Different styles, different regions. Same extraordinary results. The reason? AI enhances who they already are.

Will AI Make Soft Skills Irrelevant?

We’ve heard this question asked time and time again. Let’s dig into this multi-layered answer:

Michelle says “AI doesn’t diminish the need for soft skills, instead it amplifies them exponentially.” When AI handles the analytical heavy lifting, it creates space for what she calls “deep discovery” or strategic relationship building that requires genuine empathy and active listening.

In fact, Neha experiences this daily. When a retail client seemed completely closed off, she and her team literally became customers by visiting stores and testing the website to live the experience. They turned a 30-minute meeting into a two-hour C-suite conversation because they weren’t just selling anymore, instead they were speaking the customer’s language. “Sometimes, the smartest move in sales is to slow down. Let the relationship breathe.”

Strategic Thinking, Powered by AI

This transformation isn’t simply philosophical, it’s practical. Michelle explains how account research used to be a significant time suck of her week. She’d easily spend 2-3 hours per prospect diving through LinkedIn profiles, company news, and recent funding rounds. Now, with Slackbot and Agentforce seamlessly integrated right into her daily workflow, she gets insights about her accounts delivered automatically to her screen before she’s even asked a system to run a report.

Mitja discovered similar efficiencies: “For me, the biggest game-changer is definitely Slackbot. Any question I have [before I even ask a person], I ask Slackbot first. Most of the time, I get the exact answer or at least a much clearer understanding of the topic.”

Now to be clear, AI isn’t doing all of the work. Mitja is still writing the first drafts of emails to clients, prospects, etc., but then asks AI to make the content more concise or make it more “seller-focused”. After review, including adjustments and edits, he’s learned how to phrase things that will be most powerful for the recipient rather than assuming AI knows best — he’s the expert and he knows the clients (humans) better.

While AI isn’t doing the thinking for sellers, it is making their thinking more powerful.

The Competitive Edge in Action

How does this show up in the day-to-day world of our AEs? Michelle reflected on a time when she was presenting Agentforce when a CTO interrupted: “We’ve already committed millions to another enterprise platform. Why would we need Agentforce?” Instead of fumbling through a generic response, she had her secret ingredient already prepared: Slackbot. 

She quickly started a conversation with Slackbot and asked “What’s our partnership approach with this tool and how does Agentforce complement their foundation models?” Within seconds, she had comprehensive talking points. Instead of simply sharing those points, she turned her laptop screen toward them and explained how she got the answer, with the same AI-powered efficiency their teams would have access to.

What started as a competitive objection became a live demonstration. The company signed the deal, citing Salesforce’s complementary approach and the immediate productivity uptick they saw in real-time. 

Boldly Moving into the Unknown

At Salesforce, our employees are always learning. Just when you think you’ve understood something, there’s a new release or an entirely new product. While this idea was once overwhelming, it’s now liberating. Neha says that Agentforce flattens that curve by summarizing your account history, prepping you for meetings, calling out red flags — all in seconds. “It frees up your time so you can focus on building relationships, which is the best part of the job.”

Mitja shared similar sentiment, noting how tapping into a global network of colleagues in other regions who had worked with similar customers played a key role in him feeling supported on his accounts. 

As sellers, it’s only human nature to second guess if you’re technical or skilled enough. Neha had a background in commerce, not technology, yet she’s thrived in tech sales for over a decade. “Don’t count yourself out before you’ve even started,” she advises. “We’re looking for people who are curious, who love solving problems, and who want to build long-term relationships.” 

Michelle added “If I could go back and tell myself one thing, it would be: stop overthinking and take the leap; you’re already more prepared than you think, and Salesforce enablement will meet you where you are.”

Michelle is also developing what she dubs “AI translator” skills to bridge the gap between what AI can technically accomplish and how it transforms business processes. “Salesforce is the best place to do this because we’re not just selling AI tools, we’re living the AI transformation daily.”

ROI Outside of Work

The benefits extend far beyond commission checks. Michelle reflects: “When I can complete comprehensive account research in 15 minutes instead of three hours, I’m not staying late to prepare for tomorrow’s calls (and get home to have dinner with my son). I’m now operating at my best because I’m focused on high-value activities that actually move deals forward.”

The transformation happening across our global AE community teaches us something profound: AI doesn’t create cookie-cutter sellers. Instead it’s creating space for sellers to be more authentic. The result? AI-powered insights which transform relationships. 

Mitja’s structured approach works. Neha’s empathetic style works. Michelle’s technical translation skills work. The key takeaway: their uniqueness never dulled, it was amplified by AI.

The agentic era is here and it belongs to sellers who embrace AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as an amplifier of everything that already makes them exceptional. We’re building a future that brings out the best in us—empowering everyone to be an agent of change. Ready to get started? Check out the open roles at Salesforce and join the global community defining the future of sales.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.