The big picture: Salesforce’s “Trends in AI for CRM” report reveals a growing appetite for AI adoption among businesses, coupled with significant concerns about data trust, ethics, and organizational readiness.
- Nearly half of customer service teams, over 40% of salespeople, and a third of marketers have already implemented AI in their operations.
- Salesforce projects that AI could generate over $2 trillion in new business revenues by 2028, highlighting the technology’s immense potential.
Key findings on AI implementation: The report uncovers a mix of enthusiasm and caution among businesses regarding AI adoption and its impact on productivity.
- 80% of employees using AI at work report increased productivity, demonstrating the technology’s positive impact on workflow efficiency.
- However, only 10% of business leaders fully trust AI for decision-making, indicating a significant trust gap that needs to be addressed.
- 59% of organizations lack unified data strategies, which could hinder effective AI implementation and limit its potential benefits.
Ethical concerns and policy gaps: The study highlights widespread apprehension about the ethical implications of AI use and a lack of clear organizational guidelines.
- 77% of business leaders express concerns about data trust and ethical use issues related to AI.
- Only 21% of respondents say their companies have established clear AI usage policies, leaving a significant governance gap.
- 74% of those surveyed worry about the potential for unethical AI use within their organizations.
Employee behavior and training: The report reveals a disconnect between official policies and actual AI usage patterns among employees.
- 55% of employees admit to using unapproved AI tools, while 40% use tools that have been explicitly banned by their organizations.
- A staggering 69% of employees report not receiving any training on AI usage, highlighting a critical gap in organizational preparedness.
User preferences and transparency: The study indicates a strong desire for user control and transparency in AI systems.
- 56% of respondents express openness to AI systems that offer user control and transparency.
- This preference underscores the importance of developing AI solutions that prioritize user agency and explainability.
Recommendations for successful AI adoption: Based on the findings, several key strategies emerge for organizations looking to leverage AI effectively.
- Develop robust and trusted data strategies to ensure the quality and reliability of AI inputs.
- Establish clear organizational policies governing AI usage to provide guidance and mitigate risks.
- Implement comprehensive employee training programs on AI usage and best practices.
- Focus on developing AI systems that prioritize transparency and user control to build trust and adoption.
Bridging the AI implementation gap: The report reveals a complex landscape where businesses recognize AI’s potential but struggle with its practical and ethical implementation.
- The discrepancy between AI’s perceived benefits and the lack of organizational readiness highlights the need for a more strategic approach to AI adoption.
- Addressing concerns about data trust, ethics, and transparency will be crucial for organizations to fully harness AI’s transformative potential while mitigating associated risks.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...