We are in the early days of perhaps the most consequential technological revolution in history. And while the pace of change can at times be dizzying, a new vision of the world is emerging.

In the years ahead, artificial intelligence – through agentic platforms like Agentforce – will fundamentally transform how we work, how we live, how we learn, and how we develop bold solutions to the greatest challenges facing our planet.

From now on, humans and AI are partners.

This means that we – today’s CEOs and corporate leaders – will be the last generation of executives who lead and manage exclusively human workforces. In this new era, we will need to learn how to manage human labor and digital labor so that they work together to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, productivity, and success with our customers. This is a paradigm shift that holds the promise of ushering in a new era of abundance with broad reach across society.

The extraordinary promise of AI is why I believe, more deeply than ever, that business is the greatest platform for change. Our companies – when guided by core values like trust, customer success, innovation, equality, and sustainability – can not only deliver for our shareholders, we can make the world a better place.

My belief in a purpose beyond profit is why I’ve been a B Team Leader since 2015. Through the B Team we can connect with like-minded business leaders. We can think deeply about the values that guide us and our companies. We can share our experiences – not simply our successes, but our setbacks – and learn from each other. The B Team makes us better.

We need to harness this spirit of collaboration as we confront both the possibilities and perils of this Agentic Era. At a time when the human labor force is stagnating, or even shrinking in some regions, AI agents – intelligent, scalable digital labor – can analyze vast amounts of information, make decisions autonomously, and dramatically boost productivity and growth.

As agents reshape the labor force, our companies will have the opportunity to move human workers into areas that depend on creativity and the critical thinking skills that are uniquely human. We’ll see the creation of whole new industries, as has happened in every prior technological revolution. And we’ll need to increase our investments in the education, training and skills that prepare our workers for the new jobs of tomorrow.

How can we, as CEOs, navigate this moment so that we both do well and do good?

By staying true to our values.

As CEOs, it’s up to us to make sure that AI systems are built around trust, accountability, fairness, transparency, and sustainability.

• People need to know that they can trust and rely upon the information AI gives them.
• Companies need to be accountable for the products they build and introduce into the marketplace.
• We need to be transparent about where they’re getting the data upon which AI depends. Your data is not our product.
• Recognizing AI’s impact on our carbon footprint, we need to invest in sustainability, ecopreneurs, and nature-based solutions, and show that economic growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

As we embark on this new era, our responsibility does not end with the products we build and the services we offer. It extends to how we serve all our stakeholders.

With our 1:1:1 model of philanthropy, Salesforce commits 1% of our equity, 1% of our technology, and 1% of our employees’ time to our communities and worthy causes. To date, we have donated nearly $1 billion in grants, 50,000 nonprofits and NGOs use our technology for free, and our employees have given more than 8 million hours of volunteerism. I’m thrilled that 20,000 companies joined this movement and made the same commitment at Pledge1Percent.org. If you haven’t already, I invite you to join us too.

A new Agentic Era is upon us. The past is gone. The future is here, with limitless possibilities. I believe it’s a future we can seize, so long as business remains the greatest platform for change, guided by our values.

In this work, I’m so proud to be a B Team Leader, and I’m grateful for my fellow Leaders’ partnership and inspiration.

Together, we’re not just imagining a better world—we’re building it.

"The Catalyst" is The B Team’s monthly newsletter which showcases ways in which leaders are advocating a better way of doing business. Subscribe to receive updates.