Salesforce Launches "Missionforce" to Enhance AI in National Security

Launch of Missionforce Unit and Focus on Artificial Intelligence

Salesforce is strengthening its strategic focus on the national security sector by launching a new business unit named "Missionforce". This specialized unit aims to integrate innovative Artificial Intelligence solutions into the core of defense operations, with a particular focus on three main areas: personnel management, logistics optimization, and supporting strategic decision-making processes.

Artificial intelligence technologies can bring about a transformation in these fields. In personnel, they can streamline human resources operations, training, and military talent management. For logistics, they can optimize supply chains, predict maintenance needs, and plan more efficient transportation routes. In the context of decision-making, Artificial Intelligence solutions help analyze vast amounts of data to provide accurate intelligence, enhance situational awareness, and offer predictive insights to support critical strategic choices.

Missionforce Leadership and Objectives

"Missionforce" is led by expert Kendall Collins, who joined Salesforce in 2023 and currently serves as Salesforce's Chief Business Officer and Chief of Staff to CEO Marc Benioff.

Collins stated that "Missionforce" will leverage the best of Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and advanced platforms from the private sector to modernize these vital areas, aiming to empower warfighters and their supporting organizations to operate with enhanced intelligence, speed, and efficiency.

Salesforce's History with Government Contracts

Salesforce is a major contractor for the U.S. government for many years, serving federal agencies and multiple branches of the U.S. military, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force. However, the company does not publicly disclose details of government contracts or the revenue generated from these partnerships.

Some estimates indicate that Salesforce exceeded 384 contracts in 2022 alone and accumulated nearly 1,400 government deals over the past five years, surpassing the number of contracts held by other major tech companies like Google (Business Insider, September 2022).

Reports also indicate that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) paid nearly a billion dollars in official contracts to Artificial Intelligence companies over the past two years, and that major government procurement contracts for Artificial Intelligence companies can generate tens, hundreds of millions, or even billions of dollars in revenue for these companies (Fortune, November 2024).

General Trend of Technology Companies Towards the Government Sector

This significant step comes from Salesforce in the context of a general trend among major technology companies towards developing and offering specialized solutions and services to the U.S. government, especially in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Several factors drive this trend, including: providing stable and significant revenue through government contracts, the opportunity to influence future Artificial Intelligence regulations, and gaining valuable learning experiences to understand the unique real-world challenges of this sector (Semafor, November 2024).

There is also increasing pressure on Artificial Intelligence companies to demonstrate returns on massive investments, making the defense sector, with its large budget and interest in advanced technology, an attractive option (Fortune, November 2024).

For example, OpenAI launched in January a version of ChatGPT specifically designed for U.S. government agencies. In August, the company revealed an agreement providing federal agencies access to the ChatGPT for Enterprise service for a symbolic cost of one dollar per year. A week later, Anthropic announced the availability of its chatbot "Claude" to the U.S. government and its companies at the same cost. Similarly, Google unveiled in late August the "Gemini for Government" initiative, offering Artificial Intelligence services to federal agencies for 47 cents for the first year.