Presented by Salesforce
As we look towards 2025, Salesforce has undertaken a series of research studies focusing on C-suite executives to understand their approach towards implementing AI strategies. The research indicates a significant increase in the adoption of AI agents, with an expected surge of 327% in the next two years. However, the key takeaway is that the success of deploying AI agents lies in establishing trust in data, systems, employees, and most importantly, in the leadership driving the transformation.
Trust plays a crucial role in determining the ability of companies to effectively scale AI agents and realize the projected value. At Salesforce, this trust is ingrained in their operational strategy through Agentforce. The Agentforce 360 Platform, which serves as the core foundation of their agentic platform, ensures that trust is integrated into how agents interact, make decisions, and collaborate with humans. This approach enables leaders to implement agentic AI at scale.
According to Joe Inzerillo, Chief Digital Officer of Salesforce, “Trust acts as the accelerator as organizations scale AI agents. When leaders have trust in their data, systems, and governance, AI transitions from being an experiment to making a significant impact on the enterprise. Trust isn’t a limitation; it’s the cornerstone that enables companies to move swiftly, align teams, and unlock the full potential of the agentic enterprise.”
Trust is the Key Element
Quality data, security, and employee adoption are identified as the pillars of trust based on the insights gathered from CIOs, CFOs, and CHROs:
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CIOs express concerns about the lack of trusted data as one of their top fears in AI implementation.
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66% of CFOs highlight security and privacy threats as major worries regarding their AI strategies.
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CHROs emphasize the importance of building trust among employees, with 73% stating that their workforce is unaware of how AI agents will impact their roles.
It is evident that trust is a common theme among leaders across different functions. Inzerillo emphasizes the need for end-to-end trust, both technically and culturally, for the successful implementation of agentic AI.
A study conducted by IDC underscores the significance of preparation in AI implementation. CEOs who are prepared to deploy AI agents are found to be more focused on ethics, governance, and establishing guardrails compared to those who are not prepared.
To facilitate leaders in maximizing the value of agentic AI, the Agentforce 360 Platform incorporates key trust elements such as data quality, security, and employee adoption directly into its architecture. The Einstein Trust Layer ensures data accuracy and security through real-time grounding, while also prioritizing employee acceptance by seamlessly integrating autonomous agents into the natural workflow.
CIOs: Integrating Trust into Workflows
CIOs are translating their ambitions for agentic AI into action, with a significant increase in AI budgets dedicated to agentic AI initiatives. However, concerns around data quality persist, with only 23% of CIOs expressing complete confidence in their investments in AI with built-in data governance.
The key for CIOs lies in embedding AI into everyday workflows, as highlighted by Salesforce CIO Daniel Shmitt. He emphasizes that embedding AI and building trust at every step enables teams to operate with greater speed and confidence.
CFOs: Trust Drives Budget Approvals
CFOs are increasingly embracing agentic AI, moving away from conservative strategies towards a more aggressive approach. However, apprehensions regarding security and privacy threats remain a top concern for 66% of CFOs, indicating that trust plays a pivotal role in budget approvals.
Robin Washington, President and COO/CFO at Salesforce, emphasizes the strategic shift represented by the introduction of digital labor. With AI agents reshaping the CFO function, trust becomes a critical factor in enabling CFOs to drive agentic enterprise value.
CHROs: Building Organizational Resilience
CHROs are focused on building trust within their teams to ensure that employees are prepared to work alongside AI agents and have opportunities for upskilling. The integration of AI agents alongside the existing workforce is seen as a crucial aspect by 86% of CHROs, with 81% planning to reskill employees for better job prospects in the era of agentic AI.
Nathalie Scardino, President and Chief People Officer at Salesforce, emphasizes the need for organizational resilience in the face of digital labor transformation. Redesigning jobs, upskilling employees, and fostering collaboration between humans and agents are essential for thriving in the digital labor revolution.
Embedding Trust in AI Technology
Establishing a foundation of trust in AI technology enables companies to scale AI responsibly across workflows, driving the agentic enterprise forward. The Salesforce trusted AI foundation provides core capabilities that ensure the accuracy, explainability, and security of the Agentforce 360 Platform.
By integrating context and accuracy, built-in trust, security, and compliance, and developing an open and unified platform, Salesforce enables companies to experiment continuously with AI in production. This approach fosters collaboration between humans and agents, driving business value through trust and innovation.
Inzerillo concludes by stating that the success of the agentic enterprise hinges on earning trust with stakeholders and leveraging platforms like the Agentforce 360 Platform to accelerate business growth and value.
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