Salesforce Cuts 4000 Support Jobs as AI Handles Half of Customer Chats

Salesforce has reduced its support workforce by nearly half as artificial intelligence systems take over a growing share of customer interactions. CEO Marc Benioff revealed on Friday that the company’s support division has shrunk from about 9,000 employees to 5,000 in recent months, driven by the rollout of AI-powered agents.

Benioff said these “Agentic AI” systems can manage tasks such as handling customer requests, following up on leads, and breaking down larger processes into smaller steps. He added that the technology has enabled Salesforce to contact every potential lead—an area where the company had historically fallen short, missing more than 100 million opportunities over its 26-year history.

AI now handles nearly half of Salesforce’s customer conversations, with human agents stepping in when tasks become too complex. Benioff likened the model to Tesla’s self-driving cars, which switch to manual control when needed.

This year, companies such as IBM, Microsoft, and Intel have all announced massive layoffs, many of which these companies have attributed to AI.