Salesforce to Acquire Airkit.ai
In a move that demonstrates its commitment to providing a broad AI toolkit to its customers, Salesforce recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire Airkit.ai. This strategic acquisition will enhance its customer service platform by integrating Airkit.ai's low-code technology and AI-powered customer service agents. With this acquisition, Salesforce continues to expand its portfolio of AI enabled customer experience focused solutions.
Airkit.ai
Airkit.ai, founded in 2017 by Adam Evans and Stephen Ehikian, has quickly established itself as a leader in the no-code and low-code platform space. Initially focused on self-serve customer engagement, Airkit.ai evolved to provide businesses with a seamless integration across data silos, enabling them to enhance user onboarding experiences.
Last month, Airkit.ai underwent a rebranding and unveiled its latest innovation - an AI-powered customer service solution built specifically for e-commerce brands. This plays well in the trend to move AI solutions into industry focused solutions. Powered by OpenAI's GPT-4, Airkit.ai's platform enables businesses to build specialized customer service chatbots capable of handling various queries, including order status, refunds, and product information with no or low code, freeing up more advanced IT resources. By automating these customer interactions, Airkit.ai promises to resolve over 90% of customer questions instantly.
The Salesforce Connection
The connection between Airkit.ai and Salesforce runs deep. Prior to founding Airkit.ai, Adam Evans and Stephen Ehikian had successfully sold their previous company, RelateIQ, to Salesforce for $390 million in 2014. This acquisition paved the way for their continued collaboration with Salesforce, with Airkit.ai receiving significant funding from Salesforce Ventures and securing a spot on Salesforce's enterprise cloud marketplace, AppExchange.
Salesforce's interest in generative AI startups, as evidenced by their recent $500 million investment pledge, further demonstrates their commitment to staying at the forefront of AI advancements. With the acquisition of Airkit.ai, Salesforce expands its eCommerce Cloud and adds to its vertical generative AI capabilities.
Expanding Service Cloud AI Capabilities
Airkit.ai's code-free AI agents harness the capabilities of generative AI to provide near instant responses to customer queries, eliminating the need for human intervention in many cases. This not only reduces response times but allows customer service teams to focus on more complex and high-impact tasks. The integration of Airkit.ai's technology into Salesforce's Service Cloud platform provides the capability to automate routine inquiries and providing accurate information promptly, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Salesforce's acquisition of Airkit.ai is part of its broader strategy to drive innovation and offer AI enabled solutions to its customers across all its applications and industry clouds. The acquisition of Airkit.ai reflects Salesforce's recognition of the growing importance of AI and its potential to transform customer service. By strategically acquiring specialist platforms and attracting top talent, Salesforce aims to stay ahead of the competition and continue delivering value to its customers.
The Future of Customer Engagement
With the rise of generative AI and the need for personalized and efficient customer service, businesses are increasingly turning to innovative solutions like those offered by Airkit.ai. By merging Airkit.ai's capabilities with its Service Cloud platform, Salesforce continues to expand its customer engagement capabilities and provide more specific industry focused solutions. The integration of AI-powered customer service agents into Service Cloud enables businesses to provide seamless, personalized, and efficient customer experiences. Customers will benefit from instant responses to their inquiries, while businesses can leverage AI to gain valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. By combining Airkit.ai's no-code, low-code platform with Salesforce's Service Cloud, businesses can offer a better experience by quickly resolving simpler customer issues and freeing up agents to focus on the complex. As Salesforce continues to invest in innovative solutions and acquisitions, it adds important AI capabilities for its customers.
