Salesforce is not hiring engineers, leaning on AI coding agents
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says the company did not hire any new engineers in fiscal year 2026, leaning instead on AI coding agents to get the job done.
Benioff said in a recent interview that he was not hiring more engineers in fiscal year 2026 because he was using coding agents to provide the extra capacity needed for the year.
Financial goals and industry shift
This move fits with Salesforce's financial game plan, aiming for $46.2 billion in revenue and $16 billion in cash flow this year.
Agentforce generates about $800 million, while the AI and data segment together brings in close to $2.9 billion.
It is part of a bigger shift as more companies use agentic AI to boost efficiency without growing headcount.
AI agents' impact on work
According to Salesforce's latest Connectivity Report, 96% of IT leaders think AI agents will make work life better, and about 95% believe agents will free developers to focus on higher-value work rather than routine tasks.
Multi-agent systems are taking over repetitive work, letting engineers spend time on what matters most.
Who is Marc Benioff?
Marc Benioff is the CEO of Salesforce and turned it into a tech giant.
He has publicly commented on business and industry issues, including Salesforce's AI strategy, so he is not shy about making bold moves or statements.