Salesforce Buys AI Research Startup Listen Labs for $2 Billion

Salesforce has made a significant move in its tech acquisition strategy by buying Listen Labs, an AI research startup. The deal is valued at $2 billion and comes after years of Salesforce touting its own in-house AI development capabilities.

The acquisition marks a shift in Salesforce's approach to incorporating external technology into its platform. CEO Marc Benioff has signaled that the company is open to looking elsewhere for innovative solutions, rather than relying solely on internal development.

Listen Labs was last valued at over $500 million after securing a $69 million Series B round of funding in January. The startup's AI agents have been touted as being able to conduct meaningful research and uncover context behind customer feedback.