Salesforce introduces marketing cloud next, ending 'Do-Not-Reply' marketing

Salesforce launched Marketing Cloud Next, a major update to its marketing platform that replaces traditional one-way messaging with AI-powered, two-way engagement across channels.

Built natively on the Salesforce Platform, Marketing Cloud Next introduces autonomous AI agents, powered by Agentforce, that act across the entire marketing funnel. These agents handle tasks like campaign creation, personalization, and performance optimization, allowing marketers to focus on strategy and creativity.

Unlike traditional platforms that add AI as a layer, Marketing Cloud Next was designed specifically for agentic marketing, where AI agents operate proactively across teams and channels to deliver personalized, real-time customer experiences. “We’re delivering more than AI features, we’re introducing a new way of working,” said Steve Hammond, EVP & GM, Marketing Cloud at Salesforce. “Agentforce doesn’t replace marketers, it empowers them to do more by automating the manual work.”

What Is Agentic Marketing?

Agentic marketing uses autonomous AI agents to execute tasks based on strategic goals. Marketers define the objective such as improving retention or launching a campaign,and agents handle execution: generating content, segmenting audiences, and optimizing performance across touchpoints.

While most marketers are experimenting with AI, few are fully realizing its potential. Marketing Cloud Next bridges this gap by enabling real-time, data-driven engagement at scale.

Key Features in Marketing Cloud Next

• Create: Launch full campaigns in hours, not weeks. AI agents build briefs, generate content, and activate journeys using data from sources like Google Drive, SharePoint, and Zendesk.

• Engage: Turn passive messages into dynamic conversations. Agentforce adapts content in real time and escalates to human reps as needed. Web experiences are personalized on the fly using Agentforce Web Curation (available Oct 2025).

• Qualify: Keep leads warm with 24/7 engagement. AI agents manage nurture flows, qualify leads, and book meetings in multiple languages, with human-in-the-loop oversight.

• Optimize: Improve ROI in real time. AI agents monitor paid media, pause underperforming ads, and adjust spend based on business goals. Enhanced LinkedIn integration (coming Nov 2025) adds deeper campaign insights and targeting.

Availability

Marketing Cloud Next and core Agentforce features are available now for current customers through Marketing Cloud+ SKUs. Additional capabilities will roll out throughout 2025.