Salesforce Acquires AI Voice Agent Startup Tenyx in Bid to Bolster AI Capabilities

Salesforce announced Tuesday its agreement to acquire Tenyx, a developer of AI-powered voice agents, signaling a renewed focus on strategic acquisitions to fuel growth in the competitive AI landscape. While the financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, Salesforce confirmed that the acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. This announcement comes on the heels of a series of strategic moves by Salesforce in the AI space, including the launch of several AI-powered products and a significant investment in a cybersecurity startup specializing in AI protection.

This recent acquisition marks a notable shift for Salesforce, which just a few months ago faced criticism from investors over its acquisition strategy. In May, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff found himself defending the company's M&A framework after a highly publicized and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to acquire data integration company Informatica fell through. The failed deal, reportedly worth around $11 billion, was attributed to disagreements over price and drew criticism from some industry experts who questioned its strategic value.

Following this setback, Benioff emphasized a cautious approach to future acquisitions, stating that the company would only pursue deals with a clear timeline to value accretion, but "is not going to shy away from M&A." The Tenyx acquisition appears to fit these criteria, aligning with Salesforce's objective to strengthen its AI capabilities and capitalize on the burgeoning demand for AI-driven solutions.

The move comes as tech giants are racing to scoop up AI talent and technology. Microsoft made headlines earlier this year with its $650 million acquisition of AI startup Inflection, and Amazon has been aggressively hiring top talent from AI firms like Adept. Salesforce itself recently invested in Protect AI, a Seattle-based cybersecurity startup focused on securing AI systems, as part of a $60 million funding round that also included Samsung.

Tenyx, founded in 2022 and based in California, specializes in creating AI-driven voice agents for a diverse clientele spanning e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The acquisition will see Tenyx's co-founders, CEO Itamar Arel and CTO Adam Earle, join Salesforce along with their team.