Agentforce - by Martin Kihn (Hardcover)

About the Book

"How are humans different from machines? We can predict paths and reason forward, then act on our decisions. This is the magic of something called agency. But suddenly, since the emergence of large-language AI models in 2023, machines are showing signs of life. So-called AI agents move machines from conversational assistants to role-based automation engines that augment and sometimes replace -- human powers. What does this mean for the world? On a warm fall day in late 2024, Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff assembles his top five hundred leaders in a windowless ballroom in San Francisco's Ritz-Carlton Hotel for a week with a single topic: how Salesforce can dominate the race to develop and own the AI agent space. "This is the biggest thing to happen in all our lifetimes," he says, "and we only get one shot." He calls his new moonshot Agentforce. Agentforce is a way to make sure companies can control their agents. AI models hallucinate, go off topic, know no boundaries. Agentforce provides an industrial framework within which agents operate, giving them: a role, data, actions, guardrails and channels to reach customers"--

Book Synopsis

Introducing AI agents, the groundbreaking third wave of AI's integration in the workforce

Agentforce: Harnessing the Agency of AI to Scale, Grow, and Lead Any Industry tells you how companies can create and control their own AI agents and build a virtual workforce. It goes behind-the-scenes on how Salesforce built a platform to drive AI agents, solving problems like hallucinations and bias through a framework that gives agents strict roles, data sources, actions, guardrails and channels to reach customers. This book draws from extensive research and exclusive access to Salesforce's leaders and their ambitious plan to dominate the race to develop and own the AI agent space.

In this book, readers will find information on:

• AI agents as a "third wave" of AI development that goes far beyond simple chatbots and "co-pilots" through harmonized data, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and Salesforce's innovative Atlas Reasoning Engine
• Steps to develop prompt guidance, topic creation (areas of work), explicit instructions, and a menu of actions allowed
• Salesforce customers, such as Saks and OpenTable, that are already using AI agents with success
• The effects of AI and automation on the job market

Agentforce: Harnessing the Agency of AI to Scale, Grow, and Lead Any Industry is an indispensable, forward-thinking resource on the subject for all leaders in business seeking to supercharge their organizations' initiatives through the latest developments in a rapidly advancing field.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Agentforce

"The true complexity of AI agents isn't in their individual capabilities, but in orchestrating their interactions within a real-world ecosystem. In this book, Martin Kihn brilliantly explains this complexity and breaks it down into steps that practitioners can actually implement."
--KATRIN RIBANT, Co-Founder, Datorama; CEO, Ask-Y

"Martin Kihn is a visionary voice in AI-driven customer engagement, and Agentforce is his most compelling work yet. Rich with actionable insights, vivid storytelling, and practical examples from leading companies, this book reveals how AI agents are redefining customer relationships and transforming the workplace. If you want to understand--and harness--the future of intelligent automation, start here."
--BOBBY JANIA, CMO, Salesforce Marketing Cloud

"In Agentforce, Martin Kihn unpacks why AI agents are essential for marketers, sales teams, and enterprises, transforming how brands connect, convert, and serve customers at scale. With real-world insights and a roadmap for implementation, this book is your guide to harnessing AI agents for competitive advantage. Don't just observe the future--activate it."
--GREG STUART, CEO, MMA Global; Co-host, Decoding AI for Marketing podcast

"AI is the catalyst for a complete reimagination of business, leadership, and human potential. With Agentforce, Martin Kihn has created the ultimate strategic guide for executives ready to harness AI's power, transform their organizations, and lead with vision in the era of intelligent automation."
--JOYDEEP DEY, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Publicis Groupe

"The AI-first economy presents a great opportunity for businesses to thrive by embracing a hybrid workforce of humans and AI agents working together. In Agentforce, Martin Kihn provides a definitive business playbook to help your company use digital labor and future-proof operations. By implementing these strategies, you can unlock unprecedented levels of speed, productivity, and trust in your organization."
--VALA AFSHAR, Chief Digital Evangelist, Salesforce

About the Author

MARTIN KIHN is an AI strategist at Salesforce and a former Gartner VP. He is the author of five books including House of Lies, which was adapted into a Showtime series, and Customer 360 (with Andrea Chen Lin). His work has been published in Forbes, GQ, New York, US and the New York Times.