Benioff Takes Aim at Microsoft with AIforce Launch

At Dreamforce 2026, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took another shot at Microsoft by unveiling AIforce, the company's largest product launch in years. He portrayed AIforce as an open layer that works across multiple AI systems, including Anthropic's Claude and ChatGPT, with a focus on regulated data access and zero data retention.

Bienoff reiterated his criticism of Microsoft's Copilot, calling it 'the new Clippy', which he first compared to the outdated desktop assistant in 2024. He argued that competing AI solutions lack the dependable business-data layer required for enterprise operations.

Salesforce shares have been on a roll since their latest quarterly results exceeded Wall Street projections, with a nearly 34% rally in the previous month. Analysts are optimistic about AIforce's potential, with Stifel raising its price target to $300 from $275 while reaffirming a Buy rating.