We asked AI to predict Dreamforce 2024—Do our experts agree?

1. Generative AI Expansion and Integration

AI said: Salesforce is likely to further expand its generative AI capabilities, building on the momentum from previous announcements. Expect deeper integration of AI across the Salesforce platform, with enhancements in areas like Einstein GPT, automated workflow generation, and personalized AI-driven customer experiences. This could include new tools that allow businesses to generate custom applications or processes using natural language prompts, making AI more accessible and practical for everyday use.

JD said: The expansion of generative AI in Salesforce isn’t just exciting—it’s practically a given. At Dreamforce, I expect Salesforce to roll out tools that allow businesses to generate custom applications, workflows, and processes using natural language. The complexity of development is going to be reduced dramatically, and it’s no longer a question of if but when.

But this is more than just about fancy tools. Managing data—especially when paired with AI—is a heavy task. Companies are busy, and integrating data with AI requires specialized expertise. It can feel daunting unless you’ve got an in-house team with deep experience, and most businesses don’t have that luxury. This is where the principle of specialization kicks in—it just makes sense to offload this task to those who do it best. 

With Salesforce’s expertise in managing customer data and their leadership in AI integration, they’ve become specialists in this field. The idea of letting Salesforce handle the burden of collecting, managing, and integrating customer data with external sources in a secure environment isn’t just practical—it’s inevitable. No other platform can combine predictive and generative AI with customer data in a secure, seamless, and scalable way like Salesforce. I’m confident we’ll see Dreamforce unveil features that solidify this truth.

2. Data Cloud Enhancements

AI said: Salesforce's Data Cloud (formerly known as Customer Data Platform) will likely receive significant upgrades, focusing on real-time data processing, analytics, and integration capabilities. With the growing importance of data privacy and security, expect Salesforce to introduce new features that enhance data governance, compliance, and AI ethics, making it easier for companies to manage and utilize vast amounts of customer data responsibly.

JD said: If there’s one thing we can count on at Dreamforce, it’s that Data Cloud is about to level up in a big way. It’s evolving from a Salesforce-centric tool to a fully-fledged data platform that stands independently, ready to connect any data from any source. This isn’t just about integration anymore—it’s about making Data Cloud the center for all your data needs, regardless of origin or destination.

And let’s not forget the power of AI-assisted data management. Salesforce is primed to unveil new ways to use AI to automate data governance, compliance, and security. I expect AI-driven updates that help businesses manage their data more intelligently, automatically flagging privacy issues, suggesting governance improvements, and even performing real-time audits. This kind of integration is the natural next step, and Dreamforce is the perfect place to showcase how AI can make data operations effortless and intuitive.

3. Industry-Specific Clouds and Innovations

AI said: Building on its industry cloud offerings, Salesforce may announce new, specialized clouds or significant enhancements tailored for specific sectors like financial services, healthcare, or manufacturing. These could include pre-built solutions, compliance tools, and integrations with industry-specific technologies, allowing organizations to accelerate their digital transformation with less customization.

Manvir said: AI inferences and results have already proven to be more accurate and effective when applied to a more focused, contextual data set and knowledge base. Financial institutions, for example, possess a wealth of knowledge and data that is often locked in silos and assets across their respective enterprises. While the data itself is unique to each institution, the data objects and semantic context are quite common across industry sub-verticals. Additionally, industry norms, practices, standards, and regulations drive a high degree of consistency and repeatability from an operational perspective.

The combination of industry contextual standards and consistency, along with structured and unstructured data, will enable AI-driven innovation, where industry-specific solutions will emerge to drive productivity and business value. It is likely that Salesforce, recognizing this trend, will announce new industry contextual AI acceleration solutions at Dreamforce 2024. 

4. Sustainability and Ethical Technology Initiatives

AI said: As sustainability becomes a crucial part of corporate strategy, Salesforce is likely to introduce new sustainability-focused solutions, tools, and metrics integrated within the platform. This could include enhancements to Salesforce Net Zero Cloud, new partnerships aimed at reducing carbon footprints, and tools that help companies track and report on their sustainability goals. Additionally, expect announcements around ethical technology practices, emphasizing responsible AI use, data privacy, and social impact.

Bailey said: Enhancements to Salesforce’s sustainability initiatives have significantly evolved over the past few years, with exciting announcements predictably released at Dreamforce each year.

With the massive increase in AI utilization across banks and lenders in particular, ethical practices in use cases like loan decision-making will undoubtedly be called into question. We’ll see next week if Salesforce will broach this subject during Dreamforce 2024, but the issue of data privacy related to AI-generated content is something that needs to be addressed in general, especially in highly regulated industries.

Looking Ahead 

As we wrap up, one thing is clear: the future of AI is undeniably intertwined with the direction of Salesforce, and Dreamforce 2024 will be a pivotal moment for both. Whether it’s through AI-driven innovations, Data Cloud upgrades, or specialized industry clouds and innovations, AI will be taking the center stage. Our experts and AI may not always see eye to eye, but together, they offer a holistic view of what’s to come.