The wave of artificial intelligence adoption has claimed another round of jobs — this time at one of the world’s biggest software firms. US-based cloud computing giant Salesforce has confirmed that it has laid off nearly half of its customer service staff, citing the growing efficiency of AI-powered systems.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff revealed during a podcast interview that the company had reduced its customer service workforce from 9,000 to 5,000 employees, with 4,000 staff being made redundant. He pointed to the company’s proprietary AI tool, Agentforce, which has been integrated into Salesforce’s customer service operations and is now handling a large portion of customer queries.
“Thanks to AI, I simply don’t need that many people anymore,” Benioff said during The Logan Bartlett Show. He explained that automation had significantly reduced the volume of cases requiring human intervention. In a corporate statement, Salesforce added that with Agentforce managing tasks more effectively, the need to hire customer service engineers has also dropped.
Nearly Half of Workforce Affected
The scale of the layoffs highlights how rapidly AI is transforming traditional job roles. Salesforce had earlier suggested that artificial intelligence could eventually manage up to 50% of its business processes. This latest decision brings that prediction closer to reality, with thousands of jobs in the customer support sector already replaced.
The company, headquartered in San Francisco, is best known for its customer relationship management (CRM) software, widely used across industries including finance, retail, and healthcare. While Salesforce continues to expand in areas such as cloud services and enterprise solutions, the reliance on AI to cut labour costs has sparked concerns about long-term employment trends.
Experts Warn of Growing AI Job Disruptions
Human resource consultants have raised alarms over the broader implications of AI-driven layoffs. HR adviser Rudie Mann told US media that “AI is triggering job cuts across the country,” warning that professionals in many sectors must now upskill or risk being left behind. He advised workers to continuously update their technical knowledge and strengthen their professional networks in order to stay competitive in an evolving job market.
The move by Salesforce comes amid a wider global debate on AI regulation, automation in the workplace, and how economies should adapt to rapid digital transformation. For Singaporean workers and businesses, the case underscores the urgent need for reskilling programmes and investment in digital literacy to remain relevant in the AI era.