Salesforce Has Made An AI Agent That Is Retail Ready

AI agents have evolved beyond mere support tools; they are now essential team members across various sectors. They are not replacing humans but rather amplifying their capabilities, enabling businesses to operate with enhanced speed and efficiency. 

AI agents being responsible for large-scale outreach, lead qualification, and even closing deals to nurturing relationships by monitoring client needs, providing insights, and delivering timely follow-ups. These agents not only offers prompts, consistent support around the clock, but also added benefit of continuous learning and improvement.

Salesforce is betting big on these AI agents. It has introduced Agentforce for Consumer Goods, an AI-driven platform designed to enhance operations in sales, key account management, retail execution, and customer service. This solution enables companies to deploy autonomous digital assistants that perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with data or users without constant human oversight.

Retailers are facing mounting pressure due to rising costs, heightened customer expectations, and increasingly complex technology, according to a recent Salesforce report, and that is where their AI agents offer a way out.

Salesforce customer SharkNinja’s CIO, Velia Carboni, stated that Agentforce, the agentic layer of the Salesforce Platform, was instrumental in helping them cultivate a community that fosters repeat business.

Salesforce’s existing AI foundation has been enhanced with Agentforce, which adds industry-specific intelligence tailored for the unique complexities of consumer goods. Brands can use the platform to deploy AI-powered digital assistants called “agents” to autonomously perform tasks, interact with customers, and make real-time decisions without constant human oversight. Agentforce is already being used by companies like Saks, SharkNinja, and RNDC.

Salesforce’s newest platform was built on the September 2024 Salesforce Platform layer, designed to help companies deploy AI agents for independent business tasks. 

The timing couldn’t be more on point. A recent Salesforce study found that 76% of retailers plan to increase AI investment in the next year, with AI agents playing a central role in those plans.

Customer service which is the heart and soul of any brand, is also one of the most resource-draining parts of a business. Agentforce for Consumer Goods takes customer support to the next level, equipping brands with AI agents that work around the clock. Whether it’s answering common inquiries, tracking orders, or helping customers with product issues, these AI agents handle it all quickly, accurately, and with a personal touch.

The agents learn from every interaction, ensuring they provide a more personalized experience each time a customer reaches out.

Saks Fifth Avenue Stores and Saks Off 5th have entered into an agreement with Salesforce in order to use their Agentforce. As Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks Global, said, “We are thrilled to partner with a technology leader like Salesforce to accelerate our efforts to meet luxury consumers’ increasing demands for a highly personalized shopping experience.” 

Behind the optimistic headlines and customer endorsements lies a more measured reality. While Salesforce paints a picture of accelerated growth, adoption of Agentforce appears to be in its early stages. Reports suggest that many deals are still in testing phases or bundled with broader Salesforce agreements. Even Salesforce’s overall sales growth has been relatively modest.

Some industry experts remain cautious. A podcast by Crème de la CRM noted that Agentforce might not yet be ready for highly complex business tasks, citing its immaturity and lack of standardized functionality. Effective deployment requires foundational automation and clean, structured data something many companies are still working toward.

Even the pricing has drawn scrutiny. At $2 per conversation or $75 per user per month, some view the cost as premium especially given that the underlying AI infrastructure may be significantly cheaper.