Unlocking Agentic AI: Building Trust Across the C-Suite

Presented by Salesforce

In 2025, Salesforce embarked on a comprehensive exploration of C-suite executives to gauge their approach to developing a proactive AI strategy. The research revealed promising trends, such as a projected 327% surge in agent adoption over the next two years. However, the overarching conclusion highlighted the critical importance of trust in data, systems, employees, and leadership for unlocking the true value of AI deployment.

Trust acts as the linchpin that determines the ability of companies to effectively scale AI agents and extract the anticipated benefits.

At Salesforce, trust is a core focus operationalized through the Agentforce initiative. The Agentforce 360 Platform, the foundational element of Salesforce’s agentic platform, integrates trust into the reasoning, actions, and collaborations of AI agents, enabling leaders to implement AI at scale.

“As organizations expand their use of AI agents, trust emerges as the key facilitator,” stated Joe Inzerillo, Salesforce’s Chief Digital Officer. “When leaders have confidence in their data, systems, and governance, AI transitions from an experimental phase to a driver of enterprise impact. Trust is not a limitation but a cornerstone that accelerates progress, aligns teams, and unlocks the full potential of the agentic enterprise.”

Trust: The Catalyst and Constraint

The foundation of trust, as per research involving numerous CIOs, CFOs, and CHROs, revolves around quality data, security, and employee acceptance:

• One of the top concerns for CIOs regarding AI implementation is the absence of reliable data.

• 66% of CFOs express concerns about security and privacy threats related to their AI strategies.

• CHROs view trust through the lens of their workforce, with 73% indicating that employees are unaware of the impact of AI agents on their roles.

“The remarkable alignment among leaders on the significance of trust is noteworthy,” emphasized Inzerillo. “Whether it’s CIOs grappling with data integrity, CFOs evaluating security risks, or CHROs focusing on employee integration, the consensus is clear. Successful AI implementation hinges on end-to-end trust encompassing technical, operational, and cultural aspects.”

Encouragingly, a study by IDC underscores the importance of preparedness. CEOs primed for AI agent/digital labor adoption demonstrate nearly double the commitment to ethics, governance, and regulatory frameworks compared to unprepared counterparts.

To expedite the realization of AI value, the Agentforce 360 Platform incorporates key trust pillars—data quality, security, and employee acceptance—into its structure. The Einstein Trust Layer ensures data security and precision through real-time validation, while promoting employee adoption by seamlessly integrating autonomous agents into the natural workflow. With Agentforce, humans and agents are poised to collaborate effectively.

CIOs: Integration of Trusted Data and Context into Workflow

CIOs are translating their agentic AI aspirations into action, with the Salesforce survey indicating a nearly twofold increase in AI budgets. However, concerns over data quality loom large, as only 23% of CIOs express complete confidence in their AI investments with built-in data governance.

The critical aspect is embedding AI into daily workflows, with 93% of CIOs emphasizing the essential role of seamless integration in successful AI agent adoption. Salesforce’s CIO Daniel Shmitt highlighted, “Incorporating AI into workflow and infusing trust into every step enhances operational efficiency and confidence for everyone involved.”

CFOs: Trust as the Budgeting Bedrock

Presently, CFOs exhibit strong support for agentic AI. Five years ago, 70% adhered to conservative AI strategies, a figure drastically reduced to 4% today, with a third embracing an aggressive approach. Nevertheless, apprehensions persist, with 66% citing security and privacy threats as their foremost worry, underscoring trust’s pivotal role in budgetary approvals.

“The integration of digital labor signifies not merely a technical upgrade but a strategic transformation for CFOs,” remarked Robin Washington, Salesforce’s President and COO. “AI agents are not just altering business models; they are fundamentally reshaping the CFO realm. This necessitates a paradigm shift as we evolve from financial stewards to architects of agentic enterprise value.”

CHROs: Building Organizational Resilience

Meanwhile, Chief HR Officers (CHROs) are focused on fostering trust within teams to ensure employees feel prepared to collaborate with AI agents, offering opportunities for upskilling and growth. A substantial majority of CHROs (86%) view the integration of AI agents/digital labor alongside the workforce as a crucial aspect of their role, with 81% planning to enhance employee skills for enhanced prospects in the agentic AI era. HR leaders play a pivotal role in fortifying organizational resilience, given that 73% of employees remain unaware of the implications of AI agents/digital labor on their roles.

“We are amidst a transformative phase in work dynamics with digital labor unlocking unprecedented levels of productivity, autonomy, and agency at an unprecedented pace,” stated Nathalie Scardino, Salesforce’s President and Chief People Officer. “Every industry must redefine roles, facilitate upskilling, and redeploy talent—every employee must acquire new human, agent, and business skills to thrive in the digital labor revolution.”

Infusing Trust into AI Technology

“A foundation of trusted AI empowers companies to swiftly scale AI responsibly across all workflows to energize the agentic enterprise,” asserted Inzerillo. “With trust ingrained in the platform, teams can continuously experiment within production environments, with human judgment steering decisions and agents driving scalability.”

The Salesforce trusted AI infrastructure encompasses three core capabilities that render the Agentforce 360 Platform precise, explainable, and secure, including:

• Context and accuracy, ensuring outcomes are rooted in unified business data and knowledge.

• Embedded trust, security, and compliance to integrate visibility, control, and regulatory adherence into every workflow.

• Development of an open and unified platform by interconnecting agents, data, and semantics across ecosystems to prevent lock-in and ensure consistency.

“If we were to develop this technology internally, we would bear the responsibility for cybersecurity, maintenance, and scalability,” remarked Josiah Bryan, CTO and lead AI researcher at Precina. “Salesforce’s robust investments in cybersecurity instill confidence that our patients’ data is as secure with Salesforce as with us.”

“The triumph of the agentic enterprise will not be determined by the swiftest model or the most dazzling demonstration,” Inzerillo emphasized. “It will be achieved by companies that cultivate trust with their boards, employees, and customers, leveraging that trust through platforms like the Agentforce 360 Platform to drive momentum, quality, and tangible business value.”

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