Salesforce and Workday Team to Develop AI Employee Service Agent

Salesforce has launched an AI-focused partnership with enterprise software firm Workday.

The collaboration, announced in a news release Wednesday (July 24), will see the two companies develop an artificial intelligence (AI) employee service agent that will automate time-consuming tasks, offer personalized support, and provide “surface data-driven insights that help employees work smarter and faster.”

According to the release, the partnership will combine the two companies’ AI platforms and data offerings to create an agent that can communicate with workers in natural language and human-like comprehension, making it easier to do things like onboarding, health benefit changes and career development.

“Employees, customers and financials are the three most fundamental elements of any business,” said Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach.

“By integrating our platforms, datasets, and powerful AI capabilities, Salesforce and Workday are empowering our customers to deliver unmatched AI-powered employee experiences that ultimately lead to happier customers and drive unprecedented business value,” he added.

PYMNTS examined the role of AI in the business world earlier this month, noting that companies across various industries are seeing the technology’s usefulness in things such as lead generation and automated sales.

AI, that report said, offers tools for analyzing data, predicting trends and automating tasks, streamlining operations and providing deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences, allowing businesses to develop more sophisticated and personalized marketing strategies.

“Within the confines of an uncertain macro backdrop, remaining ahead of the competition for B2B businesses requires embracing technology, and with a generational shift in B2B with younger buyers and Generation Z decision-makers, providing the frictionless and personalized digital experiences they’ve come to expect is crucial,” PYMNTS wrote.

Meanwhile, research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that 96% of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that have tried AI tools see them as an effective way to streamline tasks.

“In fact, data shows that businesses that are most at risk and have already employed cost-cutting strategies are also the ones that may benefit most by deploying AI to automate even mundane tasks,” PYMNTS wrote in June.

The data shows a clear division in how SMBs use the technology, with those  with increasing revenues and those generating more than $1 million annually are twice as likely as those with stable or falling revenue to use AI. Among those with increasing revenues, 51% now use AI, but only 19% of SMBs that are looking to lower costs said they’re using AI.