Contents
The AI Market Shifts from Hype to Practical Application
After months of widespread fascination with anything branded “AI,” the market is now shifting towards scrutinizing its real-world promises. “The era of implementing innovations purely for public relations is over,” asserts Krzysztof Augustynowicz, Regional Vice President CEE at Salesforce. “Today, businesses aren’t simply buying ‘artificial intelligence’; they’re investing in specific, clearly defined applications of it,” he explains in an interview with Biznes Enter.
The AI Revolution: From Hype to Reality Check
When the ChatGPT language model became widely available to the public, the world collectively became captivated by artificial intelligence. This enthusiasm resonated across media, online platforms, and even everyday conversations. The most tangible impact of this excitement was evident in the valuations of technology companies, which soared to unprecedented heights.
Investors, eager to capitalize on the burgeoning trend, often backed any company in the sector without thorough scrutiny. A startup merely needed “AI” in its name to attract significant capital injections from those keen to partake in its potential future success. However, this indiscriminate investment spree is now drawing to a close, signaling a significant transformation in the AI landscape.
“The era of implementing innovations purely for public relations is over,” states Krzysztof Augustynowicz. He emphasizes that his company’s clients now have a clear understanding of what they expect from cutting-edge technologies. “They want precise information on licensing costs, implementation and maintenance expenses, and the resources required for integrating dispersed data,” he elaborates.
This shift signifies a significant maturation of the market. Businesses are no longer just purchasing “artificial intelligence”; instead, they are investing in concrete, precisely defined use cases.
— Krzysztof Augustynowicz, Regional Vice President CEE Salesforce
The Rise of “Digital Workers” in Businesses
A significant next step in technological advancement involves AI agents, which are poised to become increasingly prevalent in businesses. Salesforce is actively developing its own offering in this area, dubbed Agentforce, contributing to the rise of AI managers. To illustrate its function, Augustynowicz uses the example of a salesperson.
“Traditionally, a salesperson is responsible for business development, lead qualification, pipeline management, client history analysis, and performance reporting,” he explains. “Agentforce is designed to streamline the most repetitive, yet volume-critical, stages of this process. It can handle tasks like sending emails to companies and even manage the sales process up to the point where human intervention becomes crucial.”
“This eliminates a significant amount of cyclical, time-consuming work that needs to be performed regularly.”
— Krzysztof Augustynowicz, Regional Vice President CEE Salesforce
AI Agents to Tackle Tedious Tasks, Within Legal Boundaries
AI agents are also expected to prove invaluable for mundane, repetitive tasks. For instance, imagine starting a new role and being immediately assigned to a project for a major client with whom your company has an established relationship.
In the past, this would involve hours of searching and analyzing old emails and notes to grasp the dynamics of the relationship and how that specific client was managed. Today, however, you could simply request an executive briefing from an AI agent, which would provide a concise summary document.
“The system aggregates data from across the entire company and delivers an informational summary in seconds, taking only about five minutes to read,” Augustynowicz assures.
However, this transition won’t be without challenges. The processing of confidential data by AI already raises numerous concerns. Furthermore, the European Union’s AI Act, a comprehensive set of regulations designed to bring the AI revolution within a legal framework, is on the horizon. Alongside this, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) remains fully in effect.
“An AI agent cannot operate outside the established corporate policy framework,” emphasizes the Salesforce Vice President. “If it needs to process sensitive data from the financial or medical sectors, this must occur within an isolated, secure environment.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The initial AI boom saw investments in any company with “AI” in its name, driven by hype and speculative valuations. The current market, however, is characterized by a mature approach where businesses demand clearly defined use cases, transparent costs, and demonstrable value before investing in AI solutions. This marks a shift from PR-driven innovation to practical application.
AI agents aim to automate and streamline repetitive, time-consuming tasks within business processes. For example, in sales, Agentforce can handle lead qualification, email outreach, and sales process management up to a certain point, freeing human sales professionals to focus on more complex, value-driven interactions. This improves efficiency and allows for better resource allocation.
Deploying AI agents, especially those handling sensitive information, raises significant concerns regarding data privacy, security, and compliance. Regulations like GDPR and the upcoming EU AI Act mandate strict frameworks for data processing and AI governance. Businesses must ensure that AI agents operate within defined corporate policies and secure, isolated environments, especially when dealing with confidential data from sectors like finance or healthcare.
Source: “” & Opening photo: “Gemini”
About Post Author
