Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he might rename the company ‘Agentforce’
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is making waves in the tech industry by rebranding many of the company’s products under the new “Agentforce” name, signaling a shift away from the traditional focus on cloud technology. This move stems from insights gathered during recent focus groups, where customers expressed a clear preference for AI agent terminology over the more generic “cloud” label. As part of this rebranding initiative, Salesforce has already updated the names of several key offerings: “Sales Cloud” has become “Agentforce Sales,” “Service Cloud” is now “Agentforce Service,” and the platform is referred to as “Agentforce 365 Platform.” These changes reflect a broader strategy that aligns with current industry trends and customer expectations.
During an interview with Business Insider, Benioff hinted that the company might even consider changing its official name to Agentforce, a possibility he described as not surprising given the direction the company is heading. This bold rebranding echoes similar moves made by other tech giants, such as Facebook’s transformation into Meta and Google’s rebranding to Alphabet, showcasing a willingness to adapt to the evolving landscape of technology. The recent earnings report from Salesforce indicated positive momentum, with an increased revenue forecast, suggesting that the company’s pivot towards AI agents could be a strategic advantage. As Salesforce prepares for its upcoming Dreamforce conference, Benioff emphasized that the conversation has shifted from cloud computing to AI agents, a sentiment that resonates with customers eager to engage with innovative technologies.
This transition is not merely cosmetic; it is part of a larger strategic plan for 2026 that positions Salesforce at the forefront of the AI revolution. The newly branded “Data 360” platform, which replaces the former Data Cloud, is central to this vision, aiming to enhance customer interactions through advanced AI capabilities. While some skeptics within the industry have questioned the feasibility of this ambitious initiative, Salesforce’s recent performance suggests that the company is on a promising path. By embracing the language and concepts that resonate with its clients, Salesforce is not only redefining its identity but also reinforcing its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTPUNrirbC4
Salesforce CEO and cofounder Marc Benioff
Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is rebranding many products under the Agentforce name.
Benioff says customers prefer AI agent terminology over cloud, based on recent focus groups.
Salesforce might rename the entire company Agentforce, Benioff told Business Insider this week.
Salesforce
CEO
Marc Benioff
is done talking about the cloud and is renaming everything after its AI software
Agentforce
— perhaps even the whole company.
Salesforce slapped the “Agentforce” moniker on many of its products and services recently. And when the company reported earnings this week, there were updated names for several offerings. Sales is now “Agentforce Sales.” The Service offering is “Agentforce Service,” and Platform became “Agentforce 365 Platform,” and so on.
A Salesforce employee recently told Business Insider that the company might change its official corporate name to Agentforce. This was mentioned partly in jest. However, during an interview with Benioff late on Wednesday, the CEO confirmed this is a possibility.
“It might,” Benioff he told Business Insider. “That would not shock me.”
There’s precedent for such radical moves in the industry, as companies shift focus to new technologies or strategies. Mark Zuckerberg famously
changed Facebook’s name to Meta
. Google’s cofounders also changed their corporate name to Alphabet. Jack Dorsey’s Square became Block.
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From cloud to AI agents
Salesforce was born in the cloud, so that tech buzzword has been attached to many products over the years: Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Data Cloud.
Now customers don’t want to hear about the cloud anymore, Benioff said in the interview. He learned this during recent focus groups ahead of the company’s annual Dreamforce conference in October. Instead, clients want to talk about AI agents.
“I dropped the word cloud totally,” he said. “I did it at Dreamforce. Did you notice I never used it in the keynote? We learned in focus groups customers don’t talk about cloud anymore. They just want to talk about their agentic interface.”
Salesforce renamed Data Cloud, its data platform, to “Data 360” and announced the change during Dreamforce. Data 360 is central to the company’s
2026 strategic plan
, which Benioff also discussed with Business Insider during the interview.
Salesforce has made a
huge bet on AI agents.
Some insiders have cast doubt on the initiative, but
Wednesday’s earnings
showed some positive signs as the company raised its revenue forecast.
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