Marc Benioff’s Bold Vision: Salesforce’s Workforce in Five Years Will Blend Humans and AI

hen Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, speaks, the tech world listens—and his latest comments on the future of work are nothing short of a wake-up call.

In a recent statement, Benioff declared that we’re witnessing the end of an era: “We are the last CEOs who are only going to be managing humans as our workforce.”

From here on out, he says, it’s a hybrid game—humans and digital workers side by side.

So, what does this mean for the company’s workforce in five years? Let’s break it down.

The Hybrid Workforce Is Already Here

Benioff’s take is both a reflection and a prediction. He’s not talking about some distant sci-fi future—Salesforce is already integrating AI into its DNA. T

ake their engineering teams: in 2024, tools like Agentforce and other AI technologies boosted productivity by over 30%, a stat Benioff proudly calls “incredible.” The result? Engineering velocity is soaring, and for 2025, Salesforce won’t be hiring more software engineers.

They don’t need to. The AI is picking up the slack, handling tasks that once required human bandwidth.

Support engineering is next in line for a trim.

“We’ll have less support engineers next year because we have an agentic layer,” Benioff explained.

This isn’t about layoffs—it’s about efficiency. Digital workers are stepping in to resolve issues faster, leaving human engineers to tackle bigger challenges. It’s a leaner, smarter operation, and it’s happening as Salesforce hammers out its 2025 business plan right now.

Salespeople: The Human Edge in an AI World

Here’s where it gets interesting: while engineering shrinks, sales is set to grow. Benioff plans to add 1,000 to 2,000 salespeople in the short term.

Why? Because AI’s value—especially Agentforce—needs a human touch to sell it.

“We need to really explain to everybody exactly the value that we can achieve with AI,” he said.

No bot can replicate the nuance of a salesperson building trust with a client.

It’s a fascinating counterpoint: as digital workers take over technical roles, humans are doubling down on relationships.

Agentforce: The Star of the Show

If Benioff’s comments have a centerpiece, it’s Agentforce. He’s dismissive of the hype around large language models—“they’re rapidly becoming a commodity”—and instead zeroes in on what sets Salesforce apart.

“Everything needs to be about Agentforce,” he insists. “

This is the only thing that really matters today.” It’s not just a tool; it’s the future backbone of the company.

In five years, I’d wager Agentforce will be woven into every corner of Salesforce’s operations, powering digital workers that free up humans for higher-level thinking.

What This Means Beyond Salesforce

Benioff’s vision isn’t just a company roadmap—it’s a signal to the industry. If a giant like Salesforce can boost productivity by 30% and pivot its workforce this fast, what’s stopping others?

The hybrid model he’s betting on could ripple across tech, then beyond.

Five years from now, we might see fewer engineers industry-wide, more AI-driven support layers, and a premium on human roles that machines can’t touch—sales, strategy, creativity.

But questions linger. Will this balance hold as AI gets smarter? Could even salespeople face digital competition down the line? And what happens to the engineers who aren’t needed—do they upskill, or get left behind?

Benioff’s optimism is infectious, but the details will matter.