New layoffs hit several business units
Salesforce has carried out another round of layoffs, according to people familiar with the matter and a California regulatory notice.
The latest cuts come as the company continues to shift resources toward artificial intelligence while facing pressure from investors over how AI could reshape the software market.
Agentforce, Mulesoft and Marketing Cloud affected
One person familiar with the reductions said the layoffs affected employees connected to Agentforce, Salesforce’s AI agent product, as well as Mulesoft, its IT integration platform, and Marketing Cloud.
A second person confirmed that job cuts had taken place, though without providing details about the specific teams involved.
Core Agentforce teams reportedly spared
One person familiar with the situation said the cuts did not affect the core Agentforce teams.
That distinction is important because Agentforce remains central to Salesforce’s strategy as it tries to position itself as a major player in AI-powered enterprise software.
California notice lists 86 job cuts
A California WARN notice listed 86 Salesforce job cuts across roles including sales, general administration, technology and product.
Employees in Washington state and outside the United States were also affected, according to two people familiar with the cuts.
Employees stay on payroll until August
The California filing said affected workers would remain on the payroll until August 7.
According to Salesforce’s internal severance policy viewed by Business Insider, severance is based on level and tenure and can reach up to six months. Employees aged 60 and older may receive an additional four weeks.
AI raises questions about Salesforce’s core business
The layoffs arrive during a difficult year for Salesforce shares.
Investors have grown concerned that AI models, tools and agents could replace parts of traditional business software, including some functions tied to Salesforce’s core customer relationship management platform.
Stock under pressure this year
Salesforce’s stock has fallen more than 30% this year.
The decline reflects broader worries about whether the company can defend its existing software business while proving that its own AI products can drive meaningful new growth.
Agentforce remains Salesforce’s answer
Salesforce has positioned Agentforce as a major response to the AI threat.
The product is designed to help companies deploy AI agents, giving Salesforce a way to participate in the same technology shift that could disrupt parts of its traditional software model.
Early adoption raised questions
Business Insider reported in November that Agentforce usage was relatively low and that its capabilities were not fully matching the company’s public demonstrations.
That raised questions about how quickly Salesforce could turn its AI ambitions into widespread customer adoption.
Revenue milestone shows progress
Despite those concerns, Agentforce has shown signs of momentum.
Last month, Salesforce reported that Agentforce annualized revenue had surpassed $1 billion, suggesting that the product is beginning to contribute meaningfully to the company’s AI strategy.
Second round of cuts this year
The latest layoffs follow an earlier round in January, when Salesforce eliminated fewer than 1,000 roles.
Together, the reductions point to continued cost discipline as the company balances investment in AI with pressure to protect margins.
Salesforce remains a large employer
Salesforce had more than 80,000 employees at the end of January, according to an SEC filing.
The company did not respond to requests for comment on the latest job cuts.
AI transition creates uncertainty
The new layoffs highlight the tension facing Salesforce and other large software companies.
AI offers a major growth opportunity, but it also threatens to change how customers buy and use enterprise software. Salesforce’s challenge is to prove that products like Agentforce can become growth engines rather than just defensive responses to disruption.
