IBM & Salesforce announce strategic AI partnership

IBM and Salesforce have announced an expanded strategic partnership aimed at advancing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data integration through the combined capabilities of IBM's watsonx AI and Data Platform and Salesforce's Einstein 1 Platform. This partnership promises to provide customers with greater choice and flexibility in deploying AI and data solutions, thereby facilitating data-driven decision-making.

The collaboration encompasses bidirectional data integration, large language models (LLMs) adaptability, and a commitment to the responsible development of AI technologies. Specifically, Salesforce will leverage its Bring Your Own Large Language Model strategy to allow clients to integrate their LLMs with IBM's watsonx.aiplatform and Salesforce's Einstein 1 Studio. This integration includes access to IBM's Granite series AI models, which are designed to meet high standards for data governance and compliance.

IBM's watsonx platform enables enterprises to build, scale, and manage custom AI models, offering a range of LLMs tailored with their own data. The Granite models, known for their performance and developer-friendly features, will be integrated with the Einstein 1 Platform. This will permit joint clients to employ Granite models for various applications such as industry content generation, summarisation, and classification, either on cloud or on-premises.

The Einstein 1 Platform integrates customer relationship management (CRM) applications, external data sources through Data Cloud, and AI models within a unified metadata framework. This ecosystem powers next-generation AI solutions, including Einstein Copilot, Salesforce's conversational AI assistant for CRM.

Ritika Gunnar, General Manager, Product Management for Data and AI at IBM, emphasised the importance of choosing the right foundational models for enhancing AI strategies. She stated, "Clients need enterprise-grade foundation models that are trusted, performant, and cost-effective. IBM and Salesforce are working together to simplify the complex generative AI landscape, helping clients select the right LLM for their business needs."

In addition to AI model integration, IBM and Salesforce will also focus on industry-specific AI prompts and actions. IBM Consulting, leveraging its industry expertise, is working on prompt templates and copilot actions specialised for sectors including automotive, energy, financial services, and public sectors. These templates will be accessible through Einstein 1 Studio, facilitating advanced CRM applications.

Another significant aspect of the partnership is IBM's inclusion in the Salesforce Zero Copy Partner Network. This will enable secure, bidirectional zero-copy data integration between IBM watsonx and Salesforce Data Cloud. This approach allows businesses to maintain data in its original location while making it actionable across the Salesforce platform, minimising security risks and simplifying data management procedures.

Salesforce Executive Vice President Rahul Auradkar expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential to maximise data utilisation, stating, "Salesforce and IBM are well-positioned to help customers get the most value from their data, establishing a solid foundation for customer engagement and trusted AI."

Lastly, Salesforce has joined the AI Alliance, reinforcing its commitment to the ethical and transparent development of AI. The AI Alliance is a global consortium of over 100 organisations working collaboratively to promote the safe and responsible growth of AI technologies.