Salesforces Disses Microsoft Smart Software
September 4, 2024
This essay is the work of a dumb dinobaby. No smart software required.
Senior managers can be frisky at times. A good example appears in the Fortune online service write up “Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Says Microsoft Copilot Has Disappointed Many Customers.” I noted this statement in the article:
Marc Benioff said Microsoft’s Copilot AI hasn’t lived up to the hype…. unimpressive.
The old fish comparison works for smart software it seems. Thanks, MSFT Copilot. Good enough just not tastier.
Consider the number of organizations which use Microsoft and its smart software. Will those organizations benefit from “unimpressive” programs and services. What about the US government which might struggle to operate without Microsoft software. What if the US government operates in a way which delivers unimpressive performance? What about companies relying on Microsoft technology? Will these organizations struggle to deliver high-octane performance?
The article reported that the Big Dog of Salesforce opined:
“So many customers are so disappointed in what they bought from Microsoft Copilot because they’re not getting the accuracy and the response that they want,” Benioff said. “Microsoft has disappointed so many customers with AI.”
“Disappointed” — That’s harsh.
True to its rich history of business journalism, the article included a response from Microsoft, a dominant force in enterprise and consumer software (smart or otherwise). I noted this Microsoft comment:
Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for AI at work, said in a statement to Fortune that the company was “hearing something quite different,” from its customers. The company’s Copilot customers also shot up 60% last quarter and daily users have more than doubled, Spataro added.
From Microsoft’s point of view, this is evidence that Microsoft is delivering high-value smart software. From Salesforce’s point of view, Microsoft is creating customers for Salesforce’s smart software. The problem is that Salesforce is not exactly the same type of software outfit as Salesforce. Nevertheless, the write up included this suggestive comment from the Big Dog of Salesforce:
“With our new Agentforce platform, we’re going to make a quantum leap for AI,” he said.
I like the use of the word “quantum.” It suggests uncertainty to me. I remain a bit careful when it comes to discussions of “to be” software. Marketing-type comments are far easier to create than a functional, reliable, and understandable system infused with smart software.
But PR and marketing are one thing. Software which does not hallucinate or output information that cannot be verified given an organization’s resources is different. Who cares? That’s a good question. Stakeholders, those harmed by AI outputs, and unemployed workers replaced by more “efficient” systems maybe?
Content marketing, sales hyperbole, and PR — The common currency of artificial intelligence makes life interesting.
Stephen E Arnold, September 4, 2024
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