Salesforce has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Airkit.ai, a company specializing in the creation of AI-powered customer service applications and experiences. Airkit.ai focuses on enabling both Fortune 500 companies and rapidly growing businesses to develop adaptable, omni-channel customer engagement applications, and AI-based customer service agents.
Upon completion of the acquisition, Airkit.ai is slated to merge into Salesforce’s Service Cloud while maintaining its current leadership, with Co-Founder and CTO Adam Evans continuing to lead the division. Adam Evans, before founding Airkit.ai, had co-founded RelateIQ, a company acquired by Salesforce in 2014, where he also held the position of CTO. Post-acquisition, RelateIQ played a significant role in the development of Sales Cloud Einstein within Salesforce.
This acquisition is viewed as a strategic move for Salesforce, aiming to integrate and implement advanced AI capabilities developed by Airkit.ai to enhance customer engagement and experience across various sectors including service, sales, marketing, and commerce. Airkit.ai’s technology is expected to accelerate the transformation of customer engagement in the era dominated by advancements in AI.
Bill Patterson, EVP & General Manager of C360 Applications at Salesforce, emphasized the potential impact of AI-driven experiences on the future of customer engagement and highlighted Adam Evans’ and his team’s expertise in the Customer 360 Platform. The integration of Airkit.ai is seen as a continuation of Salesforce’s pursuit of innovative solutions focusing on customer success and enriched user experience.
Adam Evans, on the other hand, articulated the necessity for innovative experiences to transform customer engagement in the realm of Generative AI. He expressed confidence in Salesforce, renowned for its customer-centric approach, being an ideal match for Airkit.ai’s expertise in crafting user experiences.
Airkit.ai is not unfamiliar with Salesforce’s ecosystem, as it already holds the status of a Salesforce AppExchange partner and is a part of the Salesforce Ventures portfolio. The finalization of the acquisition is anticipated in the second half of Salesforce’s fiscal year 2024, following the fulfillment of customary closing conditions. No alterations to the financial guidance previously provided on August 30, 2023, are anticipated due to this transaction, and additional details regarding the acquisition remain undisclosed.
