Salesforce CEO Clara Shih Shares The Secrets Behind Their AI Transformation!

In a dynamic landscape where AI is a constantly "moving target," AI leader Clara Shih is harnessing the SalesForce to propel AI to a futuristic galaxy far, far away! Wait...what do we mean?

Well, Clara Shih, Salesforce's head of AI, reflects on a transformative year marked by the explosive rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI, Generative AI). Appointed in March 2023, Shih embarked on an ambitious journey to infuse artificial intelligence across Salesforce's platforms, including recent acquisitions like Slack and Tableau. She also emerged as an AI leader on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI 2023!

Shih, previously a leader in Salesforce's Service Cloud business and founder of startup Hearsay Systems, found her Gen AI 'aha' moment during a pivotal meeting with an Italian delegation from the iconic fashion brand Gucci in November 2021. Little did she know that this encounter would spark a revolution in AI adoption!

TechDogs-"A Screengrab Of Clara Shih, Salesforce's Head Of AI."

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How Did Shih’s AI Journey Start?

The catalyst for this seismic shift, according to Shih, was OpenAI's ChatGPT. “ChatGPT did change everything,” she said. The technology altered the landscape, propelling generative AI into the spotlight.
Suddenly, companies prioritized AI implementation, leading to a surge in demand. Shih vividly recalls a transformation from pursuing meetings about customer service AI to managing a deluge of inquiries, “I went from begging to meet with people about customer service AI to me having to turn down people and having to hire tons more people,” Shih continued.
“It was like a dozen meetings every single day even on weekends — and it was great because we had this body of work we’d been prototyping with Gucci, so we had worked out the kinks.”
Yet, Shih emphasizes the need to stay vigilant in the ever-evolving AI space. "AI is a moving target," she asserts, acknowledging the constant influx of groundbreaking research papers that reshape the field.
Despite the challenges, Shih is unwavering in her commitment to executing the initial plan while remaining adaptable to emerging ideas.

How Is Salesforce Preparing For Its AI Leap?

To navigate this complex terrain, Shih employs Geoffrey Moore's Zone to Win framework. She strategically divides innovation into three horizons: Horizon 1 focuses on immediate customer utility, exemplified by the launch of Einstein GPT tailored for various departments.
Horizon 2 aims at transforming the entire company, envisioning an AI-driven overhaul of Salesforce's platforms.
Meanwhile, Horizon 3 underscores the importance of ongoing exploration, prototyping and experimentation.
The unveiling of CodeGen marked a turning point for Salesforce, enabling the rapid deployment of generative AI products. In March 2023, Salesforce introduced Einstein GPT, integrating proprietary AI models with Gen AI models, including those from OpenAI.
This innovation quickly infiltrated every aspect of Salesforce's ecosystem, from Mulesoft and Tableau to Slack, promising to transform sales, service, marketing and Ecommerce experiences.
Shih credits 15 months of intensive work for this groundbreaking achievement, with Gucci becoming the inaugural pilot customer for Einstein GPT.
Beyond addressing staffing challenges, the Generative AI solution empowered Gucci's customer service representatives with AI coaching, transforming them into revenue producers.
Thriving in the fast-paced AI environment at Salesforce, Shih reveals her commitment to continuous learning. Setting aside dedicated time to delve into the latest AI research papers, she utilizes generative AI to summarize podcasts, facilitating efficient information consumption.

As Clara Shih steers Salesforce through the uncharted waters of AI, her steady aim in this ever-shifting landscape positions the company at the forefront of innovation, ready to meet the challenges of an AI-driven tomorrow.

Do you think Generative AI will help Clara Shih take Salesforce to new heights? Will other businesses emulate Clara’s approach to leverage AI?

Feel free to pitch your thoughts in the comments section below!

First published on Thu, Feb 1, 2024

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