Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Says Slack is the "Promise of AI" for Businesses

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has said that the company's messaging platform Slack will not only have its own AI, but it will be used by some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence.

Benioff made the comments in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer on Tuesday. He said that Slack is "really starting to wake up with its own AI" and that it holds "so much data for our customers."

"I think Slack is going to be the promise of AI for a lot of our most important customers," Benioff said.

He also said that Slack is not only a system of engagement but a system of record, so the program itself can start managing data.

Benioff's comments come as Slack is increasingly being seen as a platform for AI. In recent months, the company has announced partnerships with several AI companies, including OpenAI, Cohere, and Anthropic.

These partnerships will allow Slack to integrate AI capabilities into its platform, such as the ability to generate text, translate languages, and answer questions.

Benioff also discussed the next iteration of Salesforce's Einstein, an AI program with capabilities aimed at assisting companies with CRM, customer relations management. He stressed that while the program is learning from customers' data, it is protecting that data with a "trust layer."

"Einstein will do a trillion transactions for our customers this week in AI, but we never look at the customers' data," Benioff said.

Benioff's comments highlight the growing importance of AI in the workplace. As AI becomes more sophisticated, it is likely to be used in a wider variety of applications, such as customer service, marketing, and sales.

Slack is well-positioned to be a leader in this space, given its large user base and its focus on collaboration. The company's integration with AI will make it even more powerful and versatile, and it is likely to become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from Benioff's comments:

• Slack is getting its own AI capabilities.
• Slack will be used by some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence.
• Slack is not only a system of engagement but a system of record.
• Salesforce's Einstein AI program is learning from customers' data but protecting that data with a "trust layer."
• AI is becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and Slack is well-positioned to be a leader in this space.