Salesforce expands AI portfolio with acquisition of Tenyx

The American cloud-based software company has announced plans to acquire Tenyx, a startup specialising in AI-powered voice agents. The acquisition, set to close in the third quarter, will bring Tenyx’s co-founders and team into Salesforce as the company expands its AI-driven solutions. Founded in 2022, Tenyx provides services to various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, and travel.

This acquisition comes after Salesforce, facing pressure from activist investors, previously shifted its focus away from large-scale mergers and acquisitions. Now, with an eye on reigniting revenue growth, the company is resuming acquisitions to boost its capabilities in AI. Salesforce’s move aligns with broader industry trends, as tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon have also been acquiring AI startups this year.

Salesforce’s focus on AI began with the launch of the first AI centre in London, and is part of a competitive race in the tech industry. Microsoft has paid $650 million in March to acquire talent from AI startup Inflection, and Amazon hired key talent from another AI startup, Adept, in June. Salesforce, meanwhile, reported better-than-expected results in its second-quarter earnings, driven by increased demand for its enterprise cloud products.

As AI becomes increasingly vital to the technology landscape, companies like Salesforce are investing heavily in innovation to stay ahead. The Tenyx acquisition marks another step in its strategy to remain a leader in the cloud and AI sectors, even as competition intensifies.