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Agentic AI a Top Priority for ANZ Business Leaders

Agentic AI a Top Priority for C-suite Executives in ANZ

New YouGov research, commissioned by Salesforce, reveals C-suite executives in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) are increasingly adopting agentic AI to address a tight labour market, flat productivity in both markets, and rising customer expectations.

The study, which surveyed over 480 ANZ C-suite executives, found that 69% of those who prioritise AI are focusing on agentic AI over the next 12 months, with 38% already implementing the technology.

“For customers, their last great experience is their new expectation, and all that pressure is falling on front line employees, who are more burned out than ever. ANZ business leaders are facing this while also dealing with ongoing productivity challenges and an inability to get the right people into the right roles,” said Frank Fillmann, EVP and General Manager, Salesforce ANZ. “It’s a perfect storm where supply simply doesn’t meet demand. Local leaders know this can’t be tackled without augmenting employees with elastic digital labour.”

AI is among the top three business priorities for 79% of ANZ C-suite executives. The primary drivers include: 

  • Innovating customer and employee experiences (57%)
  • Addressing customer expectations for faster, personalised experiences (55%) 
  • Leading the market with cutting edge technology (51%) 
  • Employee demand for AI tools (50%)
  • Enhancing productivity and efficiency (49%)

The main challenges identified by ANZ leaders over the next 12 months are adapting to technological change, attracting and retaining talent, and scaling their businesses to meet demand.

Agentic AI: unlocking productivity and growth 

Agentic AI offers opportunities for businesses to navigate these challenges with a digital labour force that works 24/7, acting alongside humans to streamline operations, enhance productivity, reduce costs, and unlock new levels of innovation and scalability. 

This technology is already making a significant impact in ANZ, where companies are leveraging AI agents to support front line employees and improve customer satisfaction.

With Agentforce, companies no longer need to choose between enhancing productivity and improving customer experience.

Frank Fillmann, EVP and General Manager, Salesforce ANZ

“With Agentforce, companies no longer need to choose between enhancing productivity and improving customer experience, previously thought of as a trade-off – and can instead focus on bold, audacious thinking to grow and scale their business,” said Fillmann.

For leaders who consider AI their top priority, agentic AI use cases include:

  • Sales forecasting and analytics (58%)
  • 24/7 customer support across channels (68%)
  • Platform management (58%)
  • Marketing strategy and campaign development (57%)

Customer success stories

Brands including Fisher & Paykel, hipages, Urban Rest and Pacific Smiles are turning to Agentforce because it is integrated with their apps, works across customer channels, augments their employees, and scales capacity for business needs.*

In their journey to become one of the most human-centred appliance brands in the world, Fisher & Paykel is using Agentforce to resolve 30% of their customer queries, helping save up to 3,300 hours per month.

hipages, the go-to platform for connecting Australians with trusted tradies, has reduced onboarding verification checks for new tradies from three hours to near real time.

For serviced apartment provider Urban Rest, Agentforce is helping provide 24/7 global support, resolving up to 30% of guest inquiries automatically and increasing productivity by 50%.

Pacific Smiles, one of Australia’s fastest-growing dentist service organisations, has deployed AI-powered service agents to help patients to book an appointment in as little as 1.5 minutes, an estimated 80% reduction in enquiry-heavy booking times, ensuring faster access to care.

Research methodology 

This study, ‘C-suite perspectives on agentic AI’, was conducted by YouGov online between January 14th–20th, 2025. The sample comprised 487 C-suite executives and above from large businesses (250+ employees) in Australia and New Zealand. The sample categorised CIOs and CTOs as technical leaders and other ANZ C-suite/owners/directors as non-technical leaders. YouGov designed the questionnaire in consultation with Salesforce.

*These stories reflect the experiences of real Salesforce customers, but your experience may vary. Customers who purchase our services should make their purchase decisions based on their unique needs and the Salesforce products and features that are currently available.

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