Salesforce and IBM Forge Strategic AI Partnership to Revolutionize Enterprise Automation

Salesforce and IBM Forge Strategic AI Partnership to Revolutionize Enterprise Automation

Two tech giants are joining forces to transform how businesses use artificial intelligence. Salesforce and IBM have expanded their partnership to deliver autonomous AI agents that can work around the clock in highly regulated industries.

The collaboration combines Salesforce's Agentforce platform with IBM's watsonx technology to create pre-built AI agents that organizations can deploy within their existing systems while maintaining strict data control.

Key Partnership Benefits

Enhanced Business Automation: The partnership will deliver specialized AI agents designed for specific industry challenges:

• Sales lead identification through cross-platform data analysis
• Accelerated sales training with personalized learning paths
• Streamlined banking onboarding with automated data collection
• Improved manufacturing operations through system integration
• Faster telecom billing resolution for complex customer cases

Mainframe Data Integration: IBM becomes the first Zero Copy partner to connect IBM Z mainframe data directly with Salesforce's cloud architecture. This breakthrough allows companies to tap into business-critical data that powers over 70% of global transactions by value.

Expanded AI Model Access: Customers will gain access to IBM's Granite foundation models, built specifically for enterprise use with IP indemnification and regulatory compliance features.

Slack Integration Enhances Productivity

The partnership extends to Slack, allowing IBM customers to interact with watsonx Orchestrate agents directly within their communication platform. This integration eliminates the need to switch between applications while automating routine tasks.

"By deepening our partnership with IBM, we are setting a new standard for enterprise innovation in highly regulated industries," said Brian Landsman, Executive Vice President, Global Technology Partners at Salesforce.

The collaboration targets financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and telecommunications industries, where strict compliance and security requirements often limit AI adoption.