From the release of yet more AI agents to a shock bankruptcy, here are some extracts from our most popular news stories over the last seven days.
Salesforce Presents the Next Generation of Agentforce: 5 Major Talking Points
Salesforce has launched the next generation of Agentforce: Agentforce 2dx.
Following the December announcement of Agentforce 2.0, Salesforce’s AI agents now go beyond its CRM ecosystem, automating processes across departments and systems.
That’s a significant step for Salesforce. No longer is it talking just about the front office; it’s also taking its AI agents into the back office.
Agentforce 2dx will support developers with a new set of low-/no-code tools to configure, test, and deploy AI agents that span the enterprise.
Yet, the release offers much more than new developer tools. It also helps shine a light on the direction of Salesforce as it advances its agentic AI platform.
Given that, here are five major talking points from the release.
1. Salesforce Enables More Proactive AI Agents
“Agentforce APIs” and new MuleSoft APIs are a critical part of the 2dx release. These enable the integration of Agentforce into back-end processes and applications.
Alongside this are new Invocable Actions that automate actions based on business events. (Read on…).
Mitel Set to File for Bankruptcy, Reports
Mitel is poised to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to Bloomberg sources.
The publication broke the story, reporting that the enterprise communications company could officially file for protection “as soon as next week.”
The bankruptcy follows reports that Mitel’s debt is rapidly losing value.
Indeed, according to Bloomberg sources, the company’s $235 million first-lien term loan, set to mature in December 2025, is now trading for a fraction of a cent on the dollar.
But what exactly does this mean for Mitel moving forward?
With so many different variations of bankruptcy available, it can be difficult to understand what each one really means.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy is primarily for businesses that have accrued substantial debt.
Unlike Chapter 7, which involves liquidation, Chapter 11 allows a company to restructure its debt while continuing operations.
For Mitel, this provides time to adjust to its revenue and manage its debt repayment. (Read on…).
Microsoft Releases New AI Agents for Sales Teams, Drops Big Copilot Numbers
Microsoft has introduced two new preconfigured AI agents for sales teams.
Announced during its AI Tour in London, the AI agents aim to support salespeople “right in the flow of work”.
First is its “Sales Agent”, which researches leads, performs customer outreach, and sets up meetings. It may also complete a sale “for some low-impact leads”.
Additionally, the agent pulls on data from the CRM, Microsoft 365 applications, and company resources – like price sheets and knowledge stores – to tailor its customer communications.
Next is “Sales Chat”, which helps sales personnel prepare for customer meetings by bringing them up to speed on their accounts.
In doing so, it ingests user prompts and utilizes insights from the CRM, pitch decks, emails, meetings, etc., to help bring them up to speed.
For instance, a salesperson may ask Sales Chat to “create a plan to help me close this deal” or “pinpoint which deals are at risk of falling through”. It will then respond accordingly. (Read on…).
Genesys Stalls Its IPO Bid, Cites Stock Market Volatility
Genesys has slammed the brakes on plans to become an initial public offering (IPO).
The Information broke the story, with its sources suggesting that the company chose to do so because of increased “stock market volatility”.
Genesys had slated its IPO for April or May 2025, as per Bloomberg sources.
Now, the CCaaS Magic Quadrant leader seems set to delay the move to “later in 2025” instead.
If it goes ahead, Genesys could issue shares and raise greater capital to fund innovation and possibly acquisitions.
Some reports even suggested it could raise as much as $2BN, with Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. supposedly supporting the endeavor.
With so much on the line, it’s understandable that Genesys is cautious of current volatility within the stock market.
Prominent industry analyst Zeus Kerravala, Principal Analyst at ZK Research, recognizes this. Yet, he suggests that broader uncertainty in the market may also be a key reason to pause the IPO. (Read on…).
