The cloud-based customer relationship management platform has been using AI since 2016 under the umbrella of its AI platform Einstein. To grow its offerings for customers and employees, Salesforce announced that Einstein GPT, launched in March 2023, would integrate with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Some key users of Einstein bots include Formula 1, which leverages the tech to offer personalized fan experiences, and Gucci, which has used it for customer-facing aspects of that business. Salesforce also operates a generative AI-focused venture capital arm through which it plans to invest $500 million in the tech. Security of data has been a top priority in Salesforce’s AI expansion endeavors so that large language models don’t accidentally leak customer data. The company emphasizes a “human in the loop” where generative AI is involved to prevent misuse and guard against AI hallucinations that could adversely impact customers. Clara Shih was appointed the head of AI in May 2023, before which she led Salesforce Service Cloud. The company is looking to AI to propel its growth and has introduced a suite of tools that help enterprises tap on the power of generative AI, such as AI Cloud. Benioff expects messaging platform Slack to be a key part of the AI push. Salesforce has also made deals such as the acquisition of California-based Airkit.ai and expanded its partnerships with AWS, Google, and Databricks to further bolster its strategy.