Salesforce announced yesterday it would "invest" $2.5bn over the next five years in Australia with AI innovation, workforce development, and sustainability the areas of focus for this market.

It was the first time the tech giant has revealed details of its local operating unit although it's uncertain how much of the $2.5bn - it includes operating expenses like staff and rent - would be allocated specifically to the three initiatives of AI, workforce and sustainability.

Apple boss Tim Cook made a similar statement earlier this week, bundling up operating expenses and investment.

Some of the new programs Salesforce will roll out under its five year plan include a new roadshow, AgentForce Learning Days, and Hackathons in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. These initiatives aim to assist employees from over 270 companies in learning to build and deploy AI agents.

The company cited IDC research it commissioned quantifying Salesforce's economic impact in Australia - the company's customers and partners were estimated to generate more than 245,000 jobs and $46bn in business revenues by 2028.  

Agentforce

At its Agentforce event in Sydney yesterday, Salesforce demonstrated how prominent Australian companies such as Telstra, Flight Centre, Canva, Scape, and hipages are already utilising its AI technologies to enhance productivity and customer experiences. Salesforce has also welcomed Anne Templeman-Jones as the first Australian member of its Global Advisory Board, marking a significant milestone in its engagement with the Australian market.

In addition to AI initiatives, Salesforce has pledged US$1.2 million in grants to the Arbor Day Foundation and New Energy Nexus. These grants are intended to support global reforestation efforts and clean energy ecopreneurship, with a focus on Australia.

Salesforce's investment aligns with Australia's vision of leveraging AI to bolster economic growth and support local industries. Since establishing its presence in Australia in 2004, Salesforce has grown to employ over 2,400 people in the country. 

Salesforce Ventures has invested over $6 billion globally, with some Australian companies benefitting from the fund. Notable investments include companies like Airwallex, GO1, Culture Amp, Reejig, and Q-Ctrl. Salesforce has also collaborated with various Australian entities to launch reskilling and training programs through its Trailhead platform.

As part of today's Agentforce World Tour Sydney, the tech giant has also confirmed Allegis Group, a global leader in workforce and business solutions, is leveraging Salesforce's Agentforce and Data Cloud to enhance customer and candidate relationships. The company aims to reduce administrative work by 7,000 hours weekly using Agentforce, allowing a greater focus on building relationships and improving results. Allegis Group operates in over 500 locations worldwide, creating job opportunities for more than 10,000 people weekly and handling over 15,000 customer meetings across its Asia-Pacific locations.

According to James Warwick, COO of Allegis Group APAC, "We can see there will be immediate value in terms of efficiency and automation, but the most significant benefit is that we’ve overcoming our technology constraints so we can focus on the business and transform how we serve our people and customers. With Agentforce we can now more than ever focus on our purpose of creating opportunities for our people, our customers and our candidates."

Agentforce is an AI system that integrates data, AI, and human skills to drive impactful business results. The Data Cloud, built on the Salesforce Platform, helps Allegis Group create a comprehensive view of its customers, consultants, and candidates.

Frank Fillmann, EVP & General Manager of Salesforce Australia and New Zealand, stated, "We’re proud to invest in Australia to help organisations of all sizes transform their operations and redefine their workforces with agentic AI.

"Australian business leaders are challenged by low productivity growth, a tight labour market and higher than ever customer expectations. Empowering their employees with Agentforce and limitless digital labour is the breakthrough they need."

Additional reporting by Andrew Birmingham