Salesforce, a leading AI-driven CRM platform, has announced the launch of its first AI Centre in London. This new hub, located in the Blue Fin building, is part of Salesforce’s broader commitment to advancing AI technology and innovation in the UK. This development follows the company’s pledge last year to invest $4 billion in AI initiatives and growth in the UK over the next five years.
Major investment and local partnerships
The establishment of the Salesforce UK AI Centre underscores the company’s confidence in the UK as a leader in AI development. Salesforce Ventures has already invested over $200M in UK companies, including ElevenLabs, a text-to-speech and AI voice generator, and AutoGenAI, a leading AI bid writing engine. These investments highlight Salesforce’s commitment to fostering local talent and innovation.
Janet Coyle, CBE, Managing Director of Grow London at London & Partners, remarked on LinkedIn: ” I am thrilled to see that Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI CRM, has chosen London for its first AI Centre, building on a $4B investment in the UK! This decision is a significant vote of confidence in the United Kingdom’s AI economy.” Coyle further noted that 77% of decision-makers at international AI companies consider London to be more supportive of AI development than other major hubs.
Advancing AI through collaboration and training
The UK AI Centre will serve as a collaborative space for industry experts, partners, and customers to drive AI innovation and provide crucial upskilling opportunities. Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO of Salesforce UKI, emphasised the Centre’s strategic importance: “By locating Salesforce’s first AI Centre in London, we are sending a clear message to customers and partners on AI: we are deeply committed to working closely together so that you can reap the rewards of this transformative technology, while ensuring it is a force for good.”
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, welcomed Salesforce’s decision: “London is fast becoming one of the most important centres of AI businesses in the world, and we warmly welcome the decision by Salesforce to launch its pioneering UK AI Centre in the capital.”
Launching new AI innovations
The announcement of the UK AI Centre coincides with Salesforce’s annual London World Tour, which attracted over 17,500 attendees. The event featured insights from prominent customers such as Aston Martin, McLaren Racing, Simplyhealth, Just Eat Takeaway, and John Lewis Partnership. Salesforce also unveiled its latest AI product innovations, including the upcoming availability of Salesforce Data Cloud on Hyperforce in the UK, starting in July.
Boosting the UK economy and workforce
Salesforce’s investment in AI is expected to significantly contribute to the UK economy. IDC estimates that the UK Salesforce economy could create over 500,000 jobs by 2028. To equip the workforce with the necessary skills, the Salesforce UK AI Centre will host its first free event, the AI Now Tour, on June 18. This event will train over one hundred developers and administrative workers, supporting Salesforce’s global commitment to upskill 100,000 developers.
In addition to in-person training, Salesforce continues to offer upskilling through Trailhead, its free online learning platform. Over 7 million people have used Trailhead to build their skills, earning 2.9 million badges in the UK alone.
Emma Kendrew, Accenture’s Technology Lead in the UK, Ireland & Africa, highlighted the collaboration’s impact: “We see tremendous opportunity to help our clients in the UK unlock the power of their data and build a strong digital core for AI with Salesforce Data Cloud.”
Colin Jeffrey, Lead Partner at Deloitte Digital UK, added, “Our focus is on deepening our capabilities in AI and data, and together with Salesforce, we are uniquely positioned to help our clients realise the value of AI and generative AI technologies responsibly and ethically.”
With this latest investment, Salesforce continues to strengthen its ties to the UK, fostering a collaborative environment for AI development and ensuring that London remains the favourite choice for AI innovation.
