Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says that the corporate has “nearly not employed engineers” over the previous two years, citing the rise of AI coding brokers which have dramatically modified how software program is constructed. In accordance with a report by Enterprise Insider, talking on quarterly earnings name, Benioff revealed that the Salesforce’s engineering workforce has remained ‘principally flat’ at round 15,000 engineers since 2024. “The most well liked new hires are not engineers,” he mentioned, pointing to the rising function of AI brokers in dealing with coding duties.
Salesforce shifting in the direction of gross sales roles
As per the BI report, Benioff additional states that the headcount at Salesforce is concentrated in gross sales, led by president and chief income officer Miguel Milano. “As a result of, I believe all of us notice the one factor that we’re doing right here with you, promoting and speaking, the brokers will not be precisely doing that,” he defined, underscoring that human gross sales representatives stay essential to enlargement.
AI cuts and spending
Whereas gross sales roles are secure, different capabilities have been diminished. Benioff mentioned Salesforce lower about 4,000 assist roles final yr, with AI brokers taking on these duties. He additionally disclosed that Salesforce is projected to spend $300 million on Anthropic tokens in 2026 to energy AI-driven initiatives.
Salesforce stories document quarter regardless of market issues
Salesforce has reported better-than-expected earnings, with Benioff highlighting a document quarter marked by massive transactions. “We’ve by no means seen this many massive transactions occur,” he mentioned, dismissing fears of what he jokingly known as a “Saaspocalypse.” Regardless of the robust outcomes, the inventory slipped one other 1.5% in prolonged buying and selling as traders targeted on softer steerage.
Salesforce CEO has a message for engineers
Not too long ago, Marc Benioff revealed that he do not suppose that AI goes to exchange Salesforce’s engineers. He thinks it will flip them into managers. Talking on The Future Stay with Matthew Berman, the Salesforce CEO described a shift already underway inside the corporate—one the place its 15,000 engineers work alongside AI coding brokers from Anthropic, OpenAI Codex, and Cursor, and more and more oversee these brokers moderately than doing the work themselves. “They’ll even develop into considerably supervisory over these brokers,” Benioff mentioned. “However nonetheless these engineers are wanted.” His argument for why comes right down to a single line: “The mannequin nonetheless can’t function autonomously. We’re not at that stage but.”As proof, he pointed to the job boards of the most important AI corporations on this planet—all of them, he famous, are nonetheless hiring engineers at scale.