22: Agentic AI for hyper-personalization at scale: Insights from Steve Hammond, general manager and executive vice president of Agentforce Marketing at Salesforce

22: Agentic AI for hyper-personalization at scale: Insights from Steve Hammond, general manager and executive vice president of Agentforce Marketing at Salesforce

Author: Alan B. Hart November 5, 2025 Duration: 31:06

Steve Hammond, general manager and executive vice president of Agentforce Marketing at Salesforce, sits down with host Alan Hart at Dreamforce to share his perspective on how leaders can navigate the fast pace of change in technology and marketing. Steve reflects on his journey from early entrepreneurial ventures to modernizing Salesforce's marketing technology, emphasizing how consumer expectations are shifting and how AI Agents now empower companies to unlock hyper-personalization at scale. He discusses how interconnected company data is essential to delivering more efficient, personalized experiences, and why executives should be fully invested in shaping strategies to break down barriers to innovation. Steve explains that the intersection of people and technology delivers the strongest results and shares his prediction that as AI evolves, marketers will spend less time managing technical details and more time focused on high-level strategies that empower them to create personalized customer experiences across all touchpoints. 

 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

How AI agents shift consumer expectations   

Areas for organizations to address to meet evolving consumer expectations  

How unified company data unlocks more personalized, efficient customer experiences 

 

Key highlights: 

[00:00] Introduction  

[01:15] Finding rest on the farm  

[02:45] What is Agent Force Marketing? 

[03:50] Steve's path to Salesforce 

[06:50] Keeping up with the pace of change 

[08:55] The organizational elements needed to adapt shifting consumer expectations 

[10:40] The intersection between people and technology  

[14:35] The state of Salesforce marketing solutions 

[18:10] Personalization at scale 

[20:50] An experience that defines you: Experiences different cultures  

[22:25] Advice to your younger self: Deliver on your vision 

[23:30] A topic marketers need to learn more about: What is real and what is hype? 

[25:00] Subcultures and trends to follow: The future of work 

[26:30] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: Apathy 

 

Resources mentioned:   

 

Follow the podcast:   

 

Connect with Steve Hammond and Salesforce: 

 

Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:    


Hosted by Alan B. Hart, Marketing Beyond moves past the buzzwords and surface-level tactics to explore the real strategic decisions shaping modern business. Each episode features a candid, in-depth conversation with a chief marketing officer or a founder who has fundamentally changed how a brand connects with its audience. These aren't just success stories; Alan guides his guests into discussing the pivotal failures, the unexpected pivots, and the nuanced challenges that rarely make the keynote stage. You'll hear firsthand how leaders navigate the convergence of creativity, data, and technology in a rapidly shifting landscape. This podcast provides a rare, unfiltered look at the thinking behind major campaigns and business transformations, offering practical wisdom rather than just theory. For anyone curious about the human judgment and long-term vision required to build lasting brands, these discussions cut straight to the core. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a masterclass in strategic marketing, where the focus is always on what comes next.
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