Publish date:
In 2025, enterprise AI advanced from simply responding to prompts and generating text to a new phase in which digital agents can take action, not just talk.
The rise of “vibe coding” is a trend in which generative AI generates code from plain-language requests. It has made software development easier for many people, but it has also raised concerns about security and reliability. At the same time, businesses must deal with “workslop,” which means low-quality AI output that forces workers to spend hours checking the very tools that are supposed to save them time.
As we move into 2026, the momentum around AI is clear. A new Salesforce study shows that AI adoption among CIOs has increased by 282%, indicating strong interest in the technology. However, many leaders are still cautious about fully embracing an agent-first strategy. The main issue is data trust, which has become the biggest obstacle. Leaders are balancing the risks of allowing autonomous actions with the clear benefits of scaling their operations.
The key question now is not whether agents will change how work is done, but how organizations will manage, trust, and work alongside them.
The following predictions explore:
-
The future of agentic AI: proactive, multi-agent systems
-
Trusted agentic AI as a key advantage
-
Surprising uses for agentic AI
-
The broader effects of agentic AI
-
What is needed to make agentic AI successful
What is Salesforce (and why are its executives predicting the future)?
Salesforce helps organizations of all sizes become Agentic Enterprises. It means they integrate people, AI agents, apps, and data on a trusted, unified platform to drive greater growth and innovation.
Salesforce leaders stay up to date on the latest AI trends, technologies, and challenges affecting businesses. They assist customers across industries in their transformation into Agentic Enterprises. By using insights from market analysis, customer discussions, and internal data, they help uncover what the future may hold.
The Future of Agentic AI: Proactive, Multi-Agent Systems
The future of AI is not about robots; it's about teamwork. Companies are rapidly adopting an orchestrated workforce model, where a primary orchestrator agent directs specialized agents. This structure enhances specialization, efficiency, and scalability, much as an effective human team does, while ensuring humans remain in control. Humans will take on higher-level roles, using AI tools to monitor operations, ensure ethical practices, and oversee the performance of the entire digital team. — Armita Peymandoust, SVP, Forward Deployed Engineering, Salesforce
The multi-Agentic Enterprise will soon become a reality. In 2026, single AI agents will be limited and only provide isolated value, but they won’t help companies grow. It will create a productivity trap. To achieve real success, businesses will need a coordinated digital workforce in which agents work together, both within and outside the organization. This shift from single agents to multiple agents is hindered by three key technology needs: a multi-agent protocol to improve communication, an integrated multi-agent context to provide a shared data foundation, and robust multi-agent governance to ensure security and oversight of all agents.
Agents will evolve from simply performing tasks to taking ownership of outcomes. We will shift from instructing agents to empowering them to achieve results aligned with our goals. Our focus will be on desired outcomes, including improved customer satisfaction, increased sales, and faster problem resolution. These agents will learn to proactively manage people, processes, and data to achieve results within the organization, with a deep understanding of how the business operates. This change will shift from “here’s what to do” to “here’s the outcome I want.”
Agents will shift from being user-initiated to being event-driven. It means they will work independently and start tasks based on events. For example, if one agent finds a performance issue, it will automatically notify a development agent. The development agent will then analyze the problem, fix it, and conduct tests without requiring human intervention. — Dan Fernandez, VP, Product, Developer Services
Simulation “gyms” will enhance how businesses learn. By 2026, workers will learn more efficiently through shared standards and simulation gyms that allow for repeated practice and improvement. Consistent data across platforms and training in dynamic environments will enhance learning, enabling businesses to develop safer and more capable workforces at scale. Salesforce’s eVerse is an early example of this concept, already showing better results for customers. After 2026, new tools will allow knowledge workers to use simulations more effectively, helping them analyze different scenarios before making decisions or taking action.
Trusted Agentic AI as a Differentiator
A brand’s identity will depend on its AI. By 2026, brands will not be known by their logos or slogans; instead, they will be known by their AI. These customizable agents will act as powerful brand representatives: innovative, personalized, and continually improving with each interaction. In this new reality, there will be a clear divide. Brands that succeed will be those whose AI provides a consistently excellent experience, while others will fall behind. — Adam Evans, EVP & GM, Salesforce AI
Relational intelligence sets apart experiences in which people feel in control.
As consumer chatbots become smarter, users are getting used to more personalized digital interactions. In contrast, generic experiences are becoming inadequate. As deep personalization becomes the norm, companies must focus on building strong customer relationships. It means shifting their resources from just grabbing attention to investing in long-term connections. Companies that learn to develop these relationships in a digital environment will have a significant advantage as AI-driven commerce grows. By 2026, we will see the rise of "chief relationship officers" who manage customer relationships across all departments.
The interface of AI will be the key advantage in competition.
By 2026, every company will use an AI interface. In a crowded market, the companies that stand out will be those whose AI delivers real business results. Improving the customer experience will be the most important investment for companies as we shift from testing new ideas to achieving measurable results. CEOs will lead this change by focusing on a few trusted partners who can help them turn AI’s potential into successful outcomes. It will be based on understanding customers, creating intelligent workflows, and using an open platform that fits their business needs.
Using trustworthy AI will be an essential way to increase shareholder value.
In 2026, shareholders will be more involved in how companies use AI to work better while ensuring reliable outcomes. We will move beyond the testing phase to show how AI helps businesses grow. Companies that clearly explain how their AI tools work and share their success stories will build strong trust and confidence with everyone involved. — Sabastian Niles, President & Chief Legal Officer
Following the instructions will become an essential measure of reliability.
In 2026, the way we determine if an AI agent is ‘working’ will change. Instead of just looking at what it produces, we will measure how well it follows instructions. This new measure will be crucial for the reliability of AI in the industry. Companies will require scores that show how likely the AI is to follow instructions—these will be labeled as high, low, or uncertain. It will help developers adjust their instructions and build trust with CIOs regarding the reliability of their AI agents. Focusing on this measurable compliance will be vital to expanding the use of AI in businesses and preventing costly mistakes, setting a new standard for safe and reliable AI.
Connected intelligence will be the next competitive advantage in business.
“The companies that succeed will not be the ones using the most AI. Instead, they will be the ones to change their operating model to adopt connected intelligence. It is how true agentic enterprises will form: humans and AI working together in real time, allowing actions to happen quickly and effectively. Work will shift from simply getting things done to focusing on critical and meaningful tasks. In this environment, companies that see Slack as more than a collaboration tool will have an edge. They will use it as the central system for their business intelligence, where knowledge is stored, decisions are made, and actions take place. — Denise Dresser, CEO, Slack
Unexpected Ways to Use Agentic AI
AI will shift to proactive cyber-hunting.
“AI is changing cybersecurity for both good and bad actors. Cybersecurity teams are using AI to operate more efficiently and strengthen their defenses, while attackers are using it to launch larger, more effective attacks. You can think of AI like e-bikes; they help the rider go faster and further, but the rider still needs to steer and pedal. AI accelerates the work of both attackers and defenders, but many tasks will remain the same. It helps teams automate routine tasks, detect anomalous activity, anticipate how attackers might act, and analyze large volumes of data to identify risks in real time. By using AI in threat intelligence and response, organizations can shift from simply reacting to threats to anticipating them and responding quickly.
AI models with spatial intelligence will drive a new push for autonomy.
“While large language models (LLMs) using the Transformer architecture have started the modern AI race, they do not fully understand how the physical world works. New models, like those developed by Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs, aim to improve this by training on 3D data, such as neural radiance fields and point clouds. These models will help us better understand space, shapes, and fundamental physical forces such as gravity and pressure. As these new capabilities develop, they will boost robotics, create more realistic simulations, and allow for more intelligent automation in the real world. By 2026, competition to create and deploy these models will intensify.
Forget firewalls: Agentic AI will act as the "self-healing" defense system for companies.
Agentic AI will change how we handle security by acting like a biological immune system. By late 2026, companies will focus more on maintaining the integrity of their workflows rather than just protecting their networks. Agentic AI will monitor the health of business processes, not just network points. These AI security agents will create a continuous behavioral baseline for critical systems. If they detect an anomaly, they will automatically isolate the affected workflow and remediate it within milliseconds, creating a ‘self-healing’ security system. It will reduce the number of low- to mid-level security alerts, allowing human teams to focus on strategic threat hunting and on overseeing AI agent activity. The main challenge will be learning to trust AI to make system changes without waiting for human approval.
The future of work belongs to intelligent, connected, and proactive AI agents — and Codleo is here to help you get ahead. As a trusted Salesforce Implementation Partner, we combine industry expertise with advanced Salesforce solutions to help companies build more intelligent workflows, strengthen customer relationships, and unlock next-level automation. If you’re ready to embrace the next era of AI with a reliable Salesforce partner by your side, connect with Codleo and start your transformation today.
0
About the Author
603 D-Mall Netaji Subhash Place, Delhi 110034 IND
