'Salesforce Economy' To Create 1.8 Mn Jobs, $88 Bn Revenue In India By 2028: Study

A study has highlighted the rapid growth of the Salesforce economy in India, driven predominantly by the adoption of AI-powered cloud solutions. According to the study, Salesforce and its extensive ecosystem of customers and partners are expected to create a net gain of 1.8 million new jobs and generate USD 88.6 billion in new revenues from 2022 to 2028.

The IDC study pointed to the transformative impact of AI-powered cloud solutions on economic growth. Among the companies currently using AI in India, 79 per cent are leveraging AI-powered CRM solutions, while 80 per cent are utilising enterprise AI software platforms. These AI applications are expected to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience, with 35 per cent of companies citing improved employee productivity and 34 per cent highlighting better customer experiences as primary motivators. Additionally, 29 per cent of businesses are focusing on improving the quality of products, production, supply chain, and services through AI.

The study also revealed that the AI revolution is creating substantial opportunities for Salesforce’s partner ecosystem. For a fully functional AI-powered cloud solution, 64 per cent of respondents in India require IT project consulting or systems integration, 62 per cent need additional cloud services such as storage and security, and 55 per cent depend on ongoing IT managed services. 

In a statement, Arundhati Bhattacharya, CEO & Chairperson, Salesforce India said, “India has shown immense growth and we are excited about the ecosystem we are creating in India fueling the AI revolution that moves from prediction of the future to creating it.”

The impact of AI on the workforce is another key finding, with 58 per cent of organisations expecting an increased need for workforce AI skills in the next 12 months. Further, 51 per cent of respondents anticipate improved job satisfaction, and 50 per cent predict higher productivity due to AI integration. The study also forecasts the emergence of new job roles in the AI domain, with positions such as AI ethicist (62 per cent), data architect (58 per cent), and chief AI officer (52 per cent) being among the top new roles expected to be in demand.

Despite the promising outlook, businesses in India face several challenges in implementing AI-powered cloud solutions. The biggest hurdles include ensuring the trustworthiness and bias-free nature of data (34 per cent), addressing the shortage of skilled employees like data scientists and AI modelers (33 per cent), and managing AI governance and risk (30 per cent).