Salesforce unveils AI agent use while MacArthur adds $10 million grants

The global AI-powered sales tool market is set for substantial growth, projected to reach $10,195.2 million by 2035, a significant jump from $3,030.1 million in 2025. This 12.9% annual growth highlights the increasing adoption of AI to enhance efficiency and manage customer behavior. Salesforce's 2026 State of Sales report reinforces this trend, identifying AI and AI agents as the top growth tactic for sales teams. Their survey of over 4,000 global sales professionals indicates that 87% of organizations use some form of AI, with 54% already deploying AI agents to cut research and content creation time.

A new generation of AI sales tools moves beyond mere speed, focusing on learning natural conversation styles from top-performing salespeople to build trust and achieve better results. This approach helps systems adapt phrasing, timing, and tone across industries, making interactions feel more human. For creators, tools like Mochi AI analyze millions of messages to optimize communication, even finding that emojis can sometimes lower sales. While AI handles much of the heavy lifting, a hybrid model with human oversight ensures conversations remain authentic and personal, fostering trust.

Despite the rapid advancements, experts like James Pethokoukis from the American Enterprise Institute caution against expecting an immediate AI-driven economic overhaul, noting that significant technological shifts typically take decades. He points out that AI currently covers only 10% of tasks. Companies like Key Lime Photography in Las Vegas, led by founder Joseph Ungerer, exemplify this balanced view, integrating AI to enhance efficiency and consistency in commercial photography without replacing human creativity or on-site judgment. They prioritize transparency and client education regarding AI's responsible use.

Recognizing the need for a skilled workforce, Representative Josh Gottheimer introduced a bipartisan bill offering tax credits for companies training employees in AI skills, up to $2,500 per employee annually. This aligns with trends seen in the Texas economy, where AI and advanced technology investments are driving growth without necessarily increasing traditional hiring, though specialized skills are crucial. Furthermore, the MacArthur Foundation recently committed $10 million in grants to its Humanity AI initiative, aiming to shape ethical AI governance, educate the public, and develop systems that benefit people and the planet.

AI's reach extends into diverse sectors, from creative production to public safety and personal health. Mobbi AI, for instance, launched a "vibe editing" platform on February 13, 2026, simplifying video creation and editing through text or voice commands. In personal health, a Dallas pastor, Lyle Wallace, successfully lost 75 pounds and reversed diabetes using an AI-powered health app that provided personalized advice. Meanwhile, the Norwalk Police Department is testing AI bodycams for real-time language translation across 56 languages, enhancing communication and safety in diverse communities.

Key Takeaways

  • The global AI-powered sales tool market is projected to grow from $3,030.1 million in 2025 to $10,195.2 million by 2035, with North America leading.
  • Salesforce's report indicates 87% of organizations use AI, with 54% deploying AI agents, which cut research time by 34% and content creation by 36% for sales teams.
  • New AI sales tools learn from top salespeople's natural conversation styles to build trust and improve deal success, moving beyond speed-focused interactions.
  • Mochi AI helps creators manage sales conversations in direct messages, optimizing messages and achieving higher reply rates while maintaining a personal touch through human oversight.
  • Expert James Pethokoukis argues AI's economic transformation will be gradual, similar to past technologies, as adoption currently covers only 10% of tasks.
  • Key Lime Photography, led by Joseph Ungerer, uses AI to enhance efficiency and consistency in commercial photography, emphasizing AI as a tool that supports human judgment, not replaces it.
  • A bipartisan bill, the AI Workforce Training Act, proposes a 30% tax credit (up to $2,500 per employee annually) for companies training staff in AI skills like prompt engineering and data literacy.
  • The Texas economy is growing due to AI and advanced technology investments, with most firms using AI to support employees rather than reduce headcount, despite requiring specialized skills.
  • Mobbi AI launched a "vibe editing" platform for video creation, an AI health app helped a Dallas pastor lose 75 pounds, and Norwalk Police are testing AI bodycams for real-time language translation.
  • The MacArthur Foundation granted $10 million to its Humanity AI initiative to shape ethical AI governance, educate the public, and develop AI systems that benefit society.

AI Sales Tool Market to Reach 10 Billion Dollars by 2035

The global AI-powered sales tool market is expected to grow significantly, reaching 10,195.2 million dollars by 2035. This is up from 3,030.1 million dollars in 2025, showing a 12.9% annual growth rate. North America currently leads this market, holding over 43.1% of the share. Businesses are adopting these tools to improve efficiency, manage customer behavior, and automate tasks like lead generation and forecasting. Key drivers include the need for data-driven decisions and the rapid growth of digital selling models.

Salesforce Report Shows AI Agents Boost Sales Productivity

A new Salesforce 2026 State of Sales report reveals that AI and AI agents are now the top growth tactic for sales teams. The report, based on a survey of over 4,000 global sales professionals, found that 87% of organizations use some form of AI, with 54% already deploying AI agents. These AI agents cut research time by 34% and content creation by 36%. Top-performing teams are 1.7 times more likely to use these tools than underperformers. However, administrative tasks and the need for clean data remain ongoing challenges.

New AI Sales Tools Learn Human Conversation for Better Results

Many AI sales tools focus too much on speed, which can make customer interactions feel rushed and ineffective. This often leads to customers losing interest, especially on digital platforms like LinkedIn and email. A new generation of AI agents is changing this by learning from top-performing salespeople's natural conversation styles. These advanced systems learn phrasing, timing, and how to build trust through real interactions. They adapt to different industries and even match a salesperson's unique tone, making conversations feel more human and leading to faster, more successful deals.

AI Helps Creators Sell More While Staying Personal

AI tools are helping creators manage sales conversations in direct messages without losing their personal touch. Nik Setting and Jia Ruan created Mochi AI to solve the problem of handling many messages, which is often too expensive for creators to do manually. Mochi AI analyzes millions of messages to find what works best, even discovering that emojis can sometimes lower sales. This technology helps creators quickly optimize their messages, leading to much higher reply rates. While AI handles much of the work, a hybrid approach with human oversight ensures conversations feel natural and build trust.

Expert Says AI Will Not Remake Economy Overnight

James Pethokoukis, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argues against recent viral warnings about an immediate AI apocalypse. He believes that while AI is powerful, economic factors will slow its impact on society. New technologies like electrification and the internet took decades to fully change the economy, and AI adoption currently covers only 10% of tasks. Pethokoukis points out that richer societies often choose more leisure time, and growth is limited by the slowest parts of complex systems like healthcare and education. He advises people to use AI tools wisely but not to panic about sudden, drastic changes.

Key Lime Photography Uses AI to Enhance Human Creativity

Key Lime Photography in Las Vegas is using artificial intelligence in commercial photography while keeping human judgment central. The company sees AI as a tool to help with production, not to replace creative decisions or professional experience. AI improves efficiency, consistency, and delivery times for services like event photography and commercial video. Founder Joseph Ungerer emphasizes that AI cannot replace human skills needed for on-site decisions and adapting to live situations. Key Lime Photography is committed to being open about how they use AI and educating clients on its responsible use.

Lawmakers Propose Tax Credit for Employee AI Training

Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, introduced a bipartisan bill to offer tax credits for companies that train employees in AI skills. The AI Workforce Training Act, co-sponsored by Republican Representative Mike Lawler, aims to boost AI competitiveness and help workers. Businesses could get a tax credit equal to 30% of their AI training costs, up to 2,500 dollars per employee each year. This training includes courses on prompt engineering, data literacy, machine learning fundamentals, and AI ethics. The bill also covers wages paid during training and costs for in-house programs.

Texas Economy Grows with AI Investment Not More Hiring

The Texas economy is growing due to investments in artificial intelligence and advanced technology, according to economist Luis Torres from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Companies are increasing output with less need for traditional hiring. A clear sign of this shift is the rapid growth of data centers, with Texas ranking third nationally in their construction value. While two-thirds of Texas firms now use AI, 76% report it has not reduced their need for workers. Most businesses see AI as a tool to support employees rather than replace them, though it does require specialized skills.

Mobbi AI Launches New Video Editing Platform with Vibe Editing

Mobbi AI, a product from Vega Labs, launched a new video editing platform on February 13, 2026, called "vibe editing." This platform lets users create and edit full-length videos and films using simple text or voice commands, removing the need for complex editing software. It uses advanced AI to understand instructions and apply desired moods or styles to videos. Users can modify scenes, add effects, and generate content through natural conversation. Mobbi AI aims to make professional video production easy for everyone, and early users have praised its speed and ease of use.

Dallas Pastor Loses 75 Pounds with AI Health App

Lyle Wallace, a 45-year-old pastor from Dallas, lost 75 pounds and reversed his diabetes using an AI-powered health app. Diagnosed with diabetes in January 2023 and weighing over 285 pounds, Wallace struggled with unhealthy habits. The app collected his health data from various devices and provided personalized advice on nutrition, sleep, and exercise. He learned to eat protein and fiber before carbohydrates, which helped his metabolism. Wallace now weighs 215 pounds and can keep up with his 8-year-old daughter, showing the app's success in helping him change his lifestyle.

Norwalk Police Use AI Bodycams for Language Translation

The Norwalk Police Department in Connecticut is testing new bodycam technology that uses AI for real-time language translation. Chief James Walsh says this software, downloaded into their existing cameras, helps officers communicate with people speaking 56 different languages. This new tool makes interactions safer and smoother, especially in a diverse city like Norwalk. Officers can choose a language or let the AI detect it automatically. The department pays 82,000 dollars a year for this service, which they believe is well worth the cost for improved community outreach.

MacArthur Foundation Gives 10 Million Dollars for Human-Centered AI

The MacArthur Foundation announced 10 million dollars in grants on February 12, 2026, to support its Humanity AI initiative. This funding will help organizations shape how AI is governed, educate the public, and develop AI in new ways. Foundation President John Palfrey emphasized the need to design AI systems with strong ethical rules. The grants will focus on areas like democracy, education, culture, labor, and security, ensuring AI benefits people and the planet. The initiative also aims to build knowledge and infrastructure for public interest AI.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

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