Why a Unified Platform is Essential for AI Success

In today’s connected business environment, teams can’t afford to work in isolation — especially if they want to get the most out of AI.

On average, businesses use 991 different applications across multiple platforms, leading to disconnected systems and less-than-ideal experiences for both employees and customers. A unified platform helps to bridge these gaps so teams can work seamlessly across all departments. Plus, by connecting data to a centralized platform, businesses can enhance the power of their AI efforts to deliver more meaningful results.

So, what does a platform approach actually look like? How can it help you build AI agents that truly work for your business? Let’s break it down.

A closer look at (one of the many) ways AI agents take action on a unified platform               

Consider traditional rule-based systems: they often send irrelevant updates to everyone involved in a process based on field values, causing team members to tune out and miss critical information. By contrast, an AI agent, guided by human-defined frameworks, takes a smarter approach which is based on context and not field values.

The shift from rigid, rule-based processes to dynamic, context-aware actions makes AI agents highly effective at handling complex, multi-step workflows. But here’s the catch: without a unified platform, the AI agent can’t access or share information across systems. 

For AI to make a real impact, its underlying systems must work in harmony. That’s where Salesforce’s platform approach comes in. It allows businesses to build custom solutions and use out-of-the-box solutions, all built on the same metadata foundation. This ensures that everything works together smoothly, regardless of the department or use case.

Hiring is made easy with AI agents

Let’s use an example. A company wants to speed up its hiring process by building a custom AI agent for its recruiting app. This AI agent could automate repetitive paperwork and improve communication across HR, Legal, Finance, and hiring managers while also eliminating delays. As a result, there’s a faster, smoother onboarding experience for new hires — and happier teams all around.

Here’s how it works:

• The AI agent automatically initiates the hiring paperwork when a candidate accepts a sales rep position offer.
• It sends HR onboarding documents and employment contract drafts, pre-filled with the candidate’s details from the interview recordings and resumes.
• Meanwhile, the AI agent notifies Legal to review and approve any specific contract clauses needed for compliance or confidentiality, flagging anything that requires their attention based on company rules and the current security trends in the industry.
• Once Legal gives the green light, the AI agent alerts Finance to set up payroll. It provides all the key details from HR, including the first-year compensation package and the ideal 3-year compensation model, tailored to the new hire’s expectations and the company’s salary model for that role.

At every step, the AI agent keeps the right people in the loop by sharing the status of the new hire based on urgency and importance. This means team members only get the notifications that matter to them — with no unnecessary noise. 

AI agents like this take efficiency to a new level by incorporating intelligence and context into their decision-making. Unlike rule-based automation that relies entirely on matching specific values or conditions, following static “if-then” processes, agent-driven automation adds a layer of understanding and interpretation, delivering outcomes that make a real difference for users.

This scenario — which is one of the many ways AI can be put to work — shows how important it is to connect all systems. By allowing the AI agent to share data and take action across HR, Legal, Finance, and the hiring manager’s department, everyone gets exactly what they need, when they need it. The entire process becomes much more efficient compared to handling each step manually or with fixed, rule-based automation. 

As AI plays a bigger part in our daily workflows, the tools supporting these workflows must be connected. By bringing everything onto a shared platform, organizations can make it easier for teams to collaborate using AI agents and apps. 

Have more access at a fraction of the cost with Platform Login Licenses

Whether custom-built or out-of-the-box, AI agents can make all the difference in keeping workflows smooth and productivity high. However, not everyone in any given organization needs full-time access to AI agents or apps. Some workers use these tools daily for their workflows, while others only need them every now and then. 

This is where Platform Login Licenses come into play. They allow teams to give members access to tools without the need for a full-time license, making it more cost-effective to extend the power of AI agents to those who don’t need them all the time. 

Let’s put this into context with the recruiting app and AI agent from earlier. Imagine an employee who referred a new hire and is eligible for an internal referral bonus. If this employee only interacts with the HR platform occasionally, a Platform Login License provides temporary, on-demand access without needing a full-time account. 

This way, the employee can use the AI agent to easily track their referral status without the business having to invest in a license that would go unused. In short, Platform Login Licenses help companies pay for what they need, offering flexible access to AI agents without the extra cost. 

So, what does this mean for your organization? It means AI agents become accessible to everyone — whether for managing tasks, collaborating on projects, or staying informed on specific processes. With Platform Login Licenses, you get the benefits of AI-driven productivity when it counts the most, without the financial burden of full-time licenses.

How one unified platform creates infinite possibilities for success

Taking a platform approach with Salesforce can help drive business success by offering consistency and scalability, regardless of whether teams use custom-built or out-of-the-box AI agents and apps. When everything runs on the unified Salesforce Platform, your entire ecosystem becomes seamlessly interconnected, enhancing ease of sharing and efficiency. Plus, with a secure AI infrastructure, you can protect your Agentforce and improve the safety of your AI results. 

This unified platform is critical for two key reasons: 1) better access to data, and 2) more effective AI agents. When all AI agents and apps share the same metadata foundation, they draw from richer, more unified data sources. This means AI agents and apps can work with a larger pool of data, making them more impactful for decision-making and improving workflows. 

And with data flowing freely between agents and apps, employees can easily share insights, increasing the effectiveness of AI tools and making it easier to collaborate on shared goals. Plus, with the flexibility to build AI agents for any custom use cases, teams can boost productivity for all users, whether they use the tools occasionally or daily.

Ready to start building your own AI agent on a unified platform?

Everyone is excited about the potential of AI, but it’s worth taking a closer look at the foundations you’re building on. Taking a platform approach equips your teams with the tools to create powerful, interconnected AI solutions that reduce friction and help departments work together more smoothly. 

And with Platform Login Licenses, you can extend the capabilities of your AI agent to whoever needs it when they need it — all without unnecessary costs or complexity.