AI a multiplier for businesses; key to elevate service levels

We must see AI as something that is very empowering, because we will be able to use this for at longlast to deliver what our citizens actually deserve

Previously the difference between a large enterprise and a SME was the number of people employed. Today if you are a small entrepreneur, you can compete with the big companies because you have AI agents. SMEs also face the challenge of attracting talent whilst being unable to hire enough people. But if you have this digital labour or AI agents, you can compete much more effectively

- Salesforce India Chairperson and CEO Arundhati Bhattacharya -

We need to convince the enterprises and organisations that it is important for them to really and truly understand the benefits that AI, Agentic AI and Agentforce can bring and bring enterprises on board. Salesforce is asking enterprises to list their pain points in running the business and then create the use cases that will take away those pain points. This way, we are able to show companies that there is value hence they can start and build on top of it There are a lot of enterprises in South and Southeast Asia  who realise that AI is a multiplier for them. They can go into more markets. more aggressively and they also have an acute need they realise that the only way they can scale with the complexity they have is through using these technologies. There is the benefit of cost efficiency and higher growth

- Salesforce President and Chief Engineering and Customer Success Officer Srini Tallapragada -

By Nisthar Cassim

Global customer relationship management solutions giant Salesforce recently highlighted that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a multiplier for businesses and key to elevate service levels in developing economies in South and Southeast Asia.

This was emphasised by Salesforce President and Chief Engineering and Customer Success Officer Srini Tallapragada and Salesforce India Chairperson and CEO Arundhati Bhattacharya during an interaction with journalists from South and Southeast Asia including the Daily FT at the recently concluded Dreamforce 2025 event in San Francisco.

“The way South and Southeast Asia needs to look at AI is different from the developed world,” Arundati said.

“The difference is, in the developed world, they have a demography where the population is green and therefore, there will be perceived labour shortages. For them, AI is important in order to have the same level of service. However, for the populous part of Asia, how do we look at AI? There is always a fear of job losses etc. However, if you look at our part of the world, why technology is very important and AI is very important is the level of service that our people require in every one of our countries. 

If you leave out of Singapore, every one of the rest of the countries, we do not have it at the level that we would like to have it,” she explained, adding that in Asia service levels cannot be improved without technology.

Citing examples of India, Arundati, formerly a veteran banker and winner of Padma Shri award, one of the highest civilian honors in India,said technology has enabled faster financial inclusion including digital transactions, access to finance apart from rapid strides in efficiency. Likewise better access to health and education and service levels can be improved via technology.

“So our part of the world must see AI as something that is very empowering, because we will be able to use this for at longlast to deliver what our citizens actually deserve,” she pointed out.  

«AI will allow humans to become more human because today we are just tied to our screens. We don›t have time to pick up a phone or to visit people. AI should give you back the time to actually visit your customer and do that one-on-one because it›s taking care of your standard jobs. So it should actually give back time to you,» she added.

Salesforce President and Chief Engineering and Customer Success Officer Srini Tallapragada said South and Southeast Asia can leapfrog via technology.

He acknowledged the fact that the talent pool from developing countries is also contributing to shaping new technologies and AI solutions which are empowering the developed world.

“Individual capability or awareness of this technology is already there. Where it is lagging is still with the organisations,” he opined. He noted that some enterprises are trying out pilots but how many of them are converting is still a question mark.

“We need to convince the enterprises and organisations that it is important for them to really and truly understand the benefits that AI, Agentic AI and Agentforce can bring and bring enterprises on board,” he said adding that “Salesforce is asking enterprises to list their pain points in running the business and then create the use cases that will take away those pain points. 

This way, we are able to show companies that there is value hence they can start and build on top of it.”

“We believe we need to work with organisations in all of these countries in order to ensure that they are getting the best of the technology that is available to help them to really improve both top line and bottom line, enhance market share, improve customer satisfaction, and to give the latest and the best of the services that they can possibly do,” emphasised Srini.  

“There are a lot of enterprises in these countries who realise that this is a multiplier for them.

They can go into more markets. more aggressively and they also have an acute need they realise that the only way they can scale with the complexity they have is through using these technologies. 

There is the benefit of cost efficiency and higher growth,” he added.

Arundati also said technology or AI is critical for small and medium businesses/enterprises.  “Previously the difference between a large enterprise and a SME was the number of people employed. 

Today if you are a small entrepreneur, you can compete with the big companies because you have AI agents. SMEs also face the challenge of attracting talent whilst being unable to hire enough people. But if you have this digital labour or AI agents, you can compete much more effectively.”

Srini whose functions include driving the global adoption of Agentforce, Salesforce’s digital labour platform said the AI agents can really empower the SMEs far more than we can do in any other sphere. 

Digital labor can be there for 24x7 and 365 days of the year which is tough for a human being..

Both Salesforce executives also stressed that South and Southeast Asia are important both as a source for talent and skills to develop AI capabilities and as a market to promote solutions. Salesforce has research and innovation centres in India and Singapore.