Salesforce Launches Agentic Marketing Cloud Next
▼ Summary
– Salesforce launched Marketing Cloud Next, an AI-driven update enabling autonomous “agentic marketing” across the customer funnel, shifting from traditional campaign-based approaches.
– The platform uses Agentforce to automate tasks like campaign creation, customer engagement, lead qualification, and media optimization, designed for independent operation.
– AI agents interpret business goals and execute campaigns, personalize outreach, and manage customer journeys across channels like email, SMS, and web.
– Features include rapid campaign creation, two-way communication, lead management, and performance optimization, with human oversight for brand consistency.
– Marketing Cloud Next is now available, with additional features like Web Curation and LinkedIn collaboration rolling out later in 2025.
Salesforce has unveiled Marketing Cloud Next, a groundbreaking update that integrates autonomous AI agents throughout the entire customer journey. This innovation marks a pivotal shift from conventional campaign-driven marketing to what the company calls “agentic marketing,” where AI independently manages campaigns, personalizes interactions, and fine-tunes performance.
Built on Salesforce’s robust platform, Marketing Cloud Next leverages Agentforce technology to automate tasks like campaign creation, customer engagement, lead qualification, and media optimization. Unlike traditional systems that simply add AI as an overlay, this solution is engineered for full autonomy, enabling marketers to focus on strategy rather than execution.
The platform’s AI agents interpret business objectives and execute tasks across marketing, sales, service, and commerce functions. For instance, if a marketer sets a goal—such as boosting awareness for a new product among high-value customers—the AI will autonomously design, launch, and optimize the campaign. It tailors outreach across email, SMS, and web channels while managing customer journeys in real time.
Steve Hammond, Salesforce’s EVP and GM of Marketing Cloud, emphasized that Marketing Cloud Next isn’t about replacing marketers but empowering them. “Agentforce redefines workflow efficiency by handling repetitive tasks, freeing teams to concentrate on creativity and strategic decision-making,” he noted.
Key Features
Campaign Creation: The platform can assemble full-fledged campaigns—including briefs, audience segmentation, messaging, and journey mapping—in a matter of hours. It personalizes content by analyzing unstructured data from sources like Google Drive, SharePoint, and Zendesk.
Engagement: Moving beyond one-way “do-not-reply” messages, the system facilitates two-way conversations. It dynamically personalizes responses based on user behavior and escalates complex interactions to human agents when necessary. Additionally, it crafts bespoke web experiences tailored to individual users.
Lead Management: AI agents qualify leads, engage prospects via email and chat, and even schedule meetings. Built-in safeguards ensure brand consistency while allowing human oversight where needed.
Performance Optimization: The AI continuously monitors ad performance, halts underperforming content, and adjusts targeting strategies to align with business goals. Segment Intelligence further enhances ROI by pinpointing high-performing audience segments.
Availability
Marketing Cloud Next and its Agentforce capabilities are now generally available. Key features currently accessible include:
- Agentforce Campaign Creation
- Personalization Decisioning
- Lead Management & SDR Agent
- Paid Media Optimization
- Segment Intelligence
Additional functionalities, such as Marketing Cloud+ SKUs (July 2025), Agentforce Web Curation (October 2025), and expanded LinkedIn collaboration (November 2025), will roll out later. Existing Marketing Cloud users can upgrade to the new capabilities through the updated Marketing Cloud+ licensing model.
This release underscores Salesforce’s commitment to transforming marketing automation, blending AI efficiency with human creativity for unparalleled customer engagement.
(Source: MarTech)
