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• Salesforce is set to acquire AI startup Tenyx, enhancing its AI capabilities.
• Tenyx's co-founders and team will join Salesforce, bringing a wealth of AI expertise.
• This acquisition signals a strategic shift in Salesforce's approach, indicating a renewed focus on acquisitions.
• The move underscores the escalating competition for AI talent and tools among tech giants.

In a significant move that underscores the escalating race for artificial intelligence (AI) talent and tools, Salesforce, a leading enterprise cloud firm, has announced its decision to acquire Tenyx. Tenyx, a California-based startup established in 2022, specializes in the development of AI-powered voice agents. The acquisition is expected to bolster Salesforce's AI-driven solutions, marking a strategic shift in the company's growth trajectory.

The acquisition, the financial details of which remain undisclosed, is slated to close in the third quarter. As part of the deal, Tenyx's co-founders, CEO Itamar Arel and CTO Adam Earle, along with their team, will join Salesforce. This move is seen as a significant step in Salesforce's efforts to enhance its AI capabilities and re-accelerate its revenue growth.

Tenyx has carved a niche for itself in the AI space, catering to a diverse clientele across various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The acquisition of Tenyx by Salesforce is expected to bring a wealth of AI expertise to the table, thereby strengthening Salesforce's position in the AI landscape.

Salesforce's Strategic Shift Towards Acquisitions

The decision to acquire Tenyx comes on the heels of Salesforce's announcement last year to double its share buybacks and shift away from acquiring more companies. This decision was made under pressure from activist investors and followed the disbanding of its mergers and acquisitions committee. However, the acquisition of Tenyx signals a strategic shift in Salesforce's approach, indicating that the company is once again open to acquisitions to fuel its growth.

This move by Salesforce mirrors similar deals struck by tech behemoths Microsoft and Amazon earlier this year, highlighting the intensifying competition for AI tools and talent. In March, Microsoft shelled out $650 million to acquire talent from AI startup Inflection. Similarly, Amazon hired several co-founders and employees from Adept, another AI startup, in June. These moves underscore the growing importance of AI in the tech industry and the lengths companies are willing to go to secure top AI talent and tools.

The Growing Importance of AI in the Tech Industry

Salesforce's decision to acquire Tenyx also comes in the wake of the company exceeding Wall Street expectations for second-quarter revenue and profit. The company benefited from increased spending on its enterprise cloud products, further solidifying its position as a leading player in the enterprise cloud space.

The acquisition of Tenyx by Salesforce is a testament to the increasing importance of AI in the tech industry. It also underscores the lengths companies are willing to go to secure top AI talent and tools. This move is expected to bolster Salesforce's AI capabilities and re-accelerate its revenue growth, positioning the company for continued success in the AI landscape.