As AI, data orchestration, and intelligent automation continue to reshape enterprise tech, the State of Salesforce 2025 report offers a powerful lens into how leading companies are evolving their Salesforce strategies.
This year’s findings, based on responses from over 1,350 global Salesforce customers, provide a detailed view into the tools, practices, and priorities that separate high-performing organizations from the rest. Conducted by Accenture’s AI Innovation Lab, the report spans 19 countries and 15 industries.
From human-in-the-loop AI to the new Agentforce platform, here are the five most impactful insights from this year’s ecosystem-defining research.
State of Salesforce 2025 report
What’s Driving the Salesforce Evolution in 2025?
The Salesforce universe is transforming fast. At the heart of this transformation? AI-powered automation, deeper data integration, and a stronger push toward outcomes-based implementation strategies.
In contrast to previous years’ focus on tools and features, this report highlights a mindset shift: Salesforce is no longer just a CRM; it’s an intelligence engine.
Below are the top insights from the report:
Insight 1 – AI Without Strategy is Just Expensive Guesswork
Over 77% of respondents have deployed generative AI capabilities within their Salesforce environment. Yet, only 31% say they’re seeing measurable ROI from these tools.
Why the gap? Accenture’s data points to a lack of strategic alignment between AI investments and business outcomes. AI isn’t plug-and-play—it needs contextual data, real-time workflows, and governed experimentation environments.
Key takeaway: Organizations succeeding with AI have embedded it into their core business processes, not just their customer service chatbots.
Insight 2 – Data-Infused Salesforce Orgs Outperform Peers
Accenture’s report shows that companies actively integrating Salesforce Data Cloud, CDPs, and external data lakes are 3.8x more likely to exceed revenue targets.
They call this new class of customers “Data-Native Enterprises.” These organizations treat data as a strategic asset, not a byproduct.
They have:
- A unified data architecture across systems
- Real-time data streaming into decision points
- AI agents trained on proprietary datasets
One standout case study: A global manufacturer embedded predictive analytics into their Salesforce B2B Commerce portal, resulting in a 42% increase in repeat orders.
Insight 3: Automation is Going Human-Centric
This year, we saw a paradigm shift in how organizations approach automation within Salesforce. It’s no longer about replacing humans, but about augmenting teams to make better decisions faster.
Key stat: 66% of high-performing organizations are deploying human-in-the-loop automation models, where Salesforce Einstein Copilot or Flow Builder is used to suggest actions, but decisions still come from humans.
Salesforce’s new Agentforce platform, revealed at Dreamforce, underpins this new automation wave, allowing AI copilots to work across Slack, Service Cloud, and even third-party apps like Microsoft Teams.
Insight 4 – The Consultancy Crunch is Coming
With the explosion of AI in Salesforce, the demand for AI-literate Salesforce consultancies is outpacing supply. The State of Salesforce 2025 report highlights this growing need, showing that 92% of surveyed organizations now use external partners for implementation. Yet only 18% feel those partners can guide AI strategy or mitigate AI risk.
Accenture warns that a “capability squeeze” is emerging. As Salesforce implementations grow more complex, with AI, data orchestration, automation, and security layered in, customers are demanding verticalized expertise and outcome guarantees.
A new breed of Salesforce consultancy is emerging:
- AI-native teams
- Sector-specific solution accelerators
- Co-innovation frameworks tied to KPIs
If you’re a consultancy, 2025 is the year to level up or lose ground.
Summary
The State of Salesforce 2025 Report offers more than just trendspotting—it provides a clear roadmap for how organizations can move from experimentation to execution in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.
The five insights outlined here emphasize a single, unifying message: Success in the Salesforce ecosystem now hinges on integrated AI, actionable data, and a shift from tool-based thinking to outcome-based strategy.
Whether you’re leading a digital transformation initiative, managing a Salesforce org, or partnering as a consultant, the next phase will be defined by your ability to:
- Align AI with business goals
- Treat data as a strategic advantage
- Invest in people, not just platforms
- Embrace automation with a human-first mindset
- Choose ecosystem partners that can deliver end-to-end innovation
Salesforce is no longer just a CRM, it’s the foundation of intelligent business architecture. And in 2025, those who build with that vision in mind will lead the way.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the main focus of the 2025 Salesforce Ecosystem Report by Accenture?
The report centers around how AI, data, and human-centric automation are transforming Salesforce implementations. It emphasizes moving from tools to strategy, and from isolated features to ecosystem-wide orchestration.
2. How many companies participated in the report?
Over 1,350 Salesforce customers across 19 countries and 15 industries participated, providing a global and cross-sectoral view of Salesforce adoption trends.
3. What is “human-in-the-loop” automation?
This is a model where AI suggests actions, but a human makes the final decision. It ensures responsible AI usage and maintains control in critical business processes.
4. What is Agentforce, and why is it important?
Agentforce is Salesforce’s new platform designed for AI agents to interact across core tools like Slack, Service Cloud, and external systems. It represents a major evolution in how Salesforce envisions AI-driven productivity.
5. Are most companies seeing ROI from Salesforce AI tools?
Not yet. Only about 31% of companies report measurable ROI from AI in Salesforce, largely due to misalignment between tools and strategy. Those with integrated data and focused goals fare much better.
6. Why is there a shortage of qualified Salesforce consultancies for AI?
While many partners offer Salesforce expertise, few have deep knowledge in AI implementation, risk governance, and domain-specific use cases. This is creating a capability gap in the ecosystem.
7. How can my business prepare for the next wave of Salesforce innovation?
Start with a data audit, align your AI strategy to business KPIs, and either build in-house AI capabilities or partner with consultancies that specialize in both Salesforce and AI innovation.
