Salesforce sets up US$50 million initiative to provide free AI training to anyone

Customer relations management giant Salesforce is setting up a US$50 million iniative to address the growing skills gap in artificial intelligence (AI), by offering free training in the technology to anyone.

Through its online learning platform, Trailhead, Salesforce will provide premium AI courses and certifications at no cost until the end of 2025.

This includes training in Salesforce Agents, which are autonomous applications that provide always-on support for employees and customers, with business knowledge to execute appropriate tasks.

It has already started setting up AI training spaces in offices around the world. 

Salesforce said it plans to roll out additional training centres around the world in 2025, including one in Sydney.

These will be physical spaces that offer in-person courses through Trailhead, and bring together industry experts, partners, and customers for AI innovation and urgent upskilling opportunities.

This initiative is part of Salesforce's broader strategy to help individuals and businesses navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology.

“The advent of AI and agents represents the biggest technological shift of our generation, and will radically change how people work,” Brian Millham, chief operating officer at Salesforce said.

Salesforce pointed to research by Slack which suggests management is keen to adopt AI tools, but despite this, more than two-thirds of workers are yet to use the technology at work.

Just 15 per cent of workers feel they have the required education and training to effectively engage with AI, which Salesforce said reveals a clear skills gap.

Salesforce has already made significant strides in helping professionals develop technical expertise.

Through Trailhead, the company has enabled hundreds of thousands of learners to acquire AI and data badges, with over 2.6 million badges earned since June 2023.

These badges represent critical skills in areas such as AI fundamentals, ethical AI use, and prompting.

By offering even more advanced AI-specific training, Salesforce hopes to reach an additional 100,000 learners.

Salesforce is also focusing on upskilling its own workforce, introducing quarterly AI learning days to ensure that its 72,000 employees are equipped with the latest AI innovations.

The company has integrated over 100 AI-powered tools and technologies into its operations, enabling employees to automate routine tasks and focus on more meaningful work.

Since the launch of Slack AI, Salesforce claimed employees have saved nearly three million work hours.