Salesforce and Accenture partner to create acceleration hub for generative AI

Salesforce has announced a collaboration with global professional services firm Accenture, to accelerate the deployment of generative AI across customer relationship management (CRM) technologies. The companies plan to establish an acceleration hub for generative AI, allowing customers to expand on Salesforce’s Einstein GPT, a generative AI tool for CRM.

The new acceleration hub will use the powerful combination of the companies’ AI industry and connected customer experience to provide clients in all industries with effective strategies and technologies for harnessing generative AI.

The new hub will provide companies with valuable access to the latest research and cutting-edge generative AI technologies, in partnership with Accenture’s Generative AI and Large Language Model (LLM) Center of Excellence. The announcement was made today by Salesforce at its annual event, World Tour NYC.

“We are hearing from customers that they are excited about generative AI,” Amy Kodl, Salesforce’s senior vice president of alliances and channels, Americas, told VentureBeat. “They are also turning to us to help them with the right strategy to deploy this new and innovative technology and how to use it effectively and efficiently. That’s why Salesforce and Accenture are coming together to create a new acceleration hub for generative AI.”

Kodl stated that the acceleration hub will comprise new use cases for Einstein GPT, industry-specific implementation strategies, domain-specific large language models, and new accelerators from Accenture to aid businesses in deploying Einstein GPT effectively to meet their unique needs.

The hub will also provide customers with new user interfaces and access to both Salesforce proprietary LLMs and third-party LLMs.

“Salesforce and Accenture will focus on sales and service use cases for the financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and public sector industries,” added Kodl. “Salesforce and Accenture will also build AI models and strategies for customers in these industries, and new accelerators built by Accenture for Einstein GPT so customers can see the value of generative AI for CRM faster.”

Using generative AI to streamline CRM workflows

Salesforce considers generative AI a crucial technology for businesses, as highlighted by the firm’s recent generative AI survey.

The survey found that 84% of senior IT leaders believe that generative AI will aid their organization in serving customers more effectively. As a result, 67% of these leaders have prioritized generative AI for their business in the next 18 months, underscoring the need for effective deployment of the technology.

By combining Accenture’s industry expertise with Salesforce’s technology, the two companies aim to help customers solve problems using generative AI more quickly and efficiently.

“Salesforce and Accenture are coming together to provide organizations with the technology and expertise they need to scale and get the most value from Einstein GPT to meet their specific business needs,” Salesforce’s Kodl told VentureBeat. “Together, Salesforce and Accenture bring decades of combined experience in AI, data and CRM. AI leaders from both companies will work directly with customers to advise them on how to use the technology effectively and responsibly to best serve their businesses and transform every customer and employee experience.”

The acceleration hub presents several use cases for CRM, including Einstein GPT for Sales and Einstein GPT for Service. For example, with Einstein GPT for Sales, users would be able to automatically generate sales tasks, such as composing emails, scheduling meetings and preparing for the next interaction.

Einstein GPT for Service will help generate knowledge articles from past case notes and auto-generate agent chat replies to improve customer satisfaction through personalized and expedited service interactions.

Salesforce and Accenture will harness the power of Salesforce’s Data Cloud to synchronize and harmonize information. Together, they will also explore how generative AI can learn from customer data to deliver faster and more personalized experiences for customers.

Tailored content to educate customers on generative AI

As part of the collaboration, the companies aim to create learning resources for teams that want to improve their generative AI skills. This will foster the development of the next generation of talent within the Salesforce ecosystem.

The hub will also use pre-existing learning resources available on Salesforce’s online learning platform, Trailhead, which include topics such as using AI to meet business requirements, developing ethical AI and the transformative impact of Einstein GPT on the future of work.

“When used effectively, generative AI can assist companies in enhancing customer reach and increasing employee productivity,” Kodl told VentureBeat. “In particular, Einstein GPT will empower companies to generate personalized AI content for various domains, including sales, service, marketing and IT. The program’s specific focus areas will include programming for Einstein GPT, AI literacy, data science and analytics, and ethics and responsible AI.”

Turbocharging CRM development through responsible AI 

According to Kodl, generative AI for CRM can enhance employee productivity, revolutionize customer-business interactions and drive more profitable growth.

She stressed the importance of prioritizing trust and responsible use while employing technologies like generative AI. To aid in this effort, Salesforce’s Office of Ethical and Humane Use of Technology will guide organizations on responsible design, development and use of these new generative AI technologies.

“It’s critical that companies have the right strategies in place to implement these tools — including the infrastructure, data strategy, security and employee skills needed for the massive opportunities ahead,” Kodl explained. “Salesforce and Accenture are coming together to bring the visionary and technical expertise needed to unlock these new possibilities for AI- and data-powered CRM, driving a profound transformation in how we work and interact with customers.”