Welcome to the Trail Treport Daily for Friday, August 2, 2024. Here's what's making headlines today:

- Seattle cybersecurity startup Protect AI secures $60 million in Series B funding, boosting its valuation to $400 million.

- Salesforce is set to acquire cloud-based point-of-sale vendor PredictSpring to enhance Customer 360 capabilities in retail.

- Apple's new AI features for iPhones and iPads will be delayed until the iOS 18.1 update, bringing advancements like natural Siri interactions and ChatGPT integration.

- Intel announces significant layoffs and pauses dividend payments as part of cost-saving measures following a disappointing second quarter.

- Andreessen Horowitz releases a transformative report predicting AI will radically overhaul the sales tech landscape, challenging major incumbents.

Get the latest on Dreamforce 2024’s hot topics, including Salesforce’s Data Cloud, Einstein Copilot, and Tableau integrations.

Tony McCune joins Mphasis Silverline, spearheading healthcare and life sciences market strategies.

Salesforce Admins prep for Winter '25 Release with important dates and updates to mark.

Microsoft adds former partner OpenAI to its competitor list, highlighting AI market shifts.

Mark Zuckerberg emphasizes AI's role amid Meta's Q2 financial triumphs on their earnings call.

Taco Bell to deploy AI voice tech in drive-thrus, aiming to streamline operations and improve accuracy.

Welcome to Trail Treport Daily for Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

First up, Google's heavy investment in AI technologies is under scrutiny as recent announcements fail to wow investors.

Next, the pandemic-induced job boom in the U.S. fades as unemployment rises to 4.1%, with job openings decreasing to pre-pandemic levels.

Shifting gears, Miami-based Inforge, founded in 2020, is bridging the gap between Latin America and the U.S. by training LatAm talent in Salesforce expertise.

Finally, Salesforce surveys corporate sustainability execs, finding mixed feelings on AI's energy use but optimism about its potential benefits in sustainability.

Thanks for tuning in to Trail Treport Daily. Join us tomorrow for more Salesforce and ecosystem news.

- Apple and Salesforce address allegations of unauthorized YouTube video use for AI training, emphasizing proper licensing and ethical practices.

- Salesforce's AI ethicist Kathy Baxter discusses global AI regulation with Tech Brew, calling for ethical standards and robust frameworks.

- Salesforce Data Cloud enhances Principal Financial Group's customer experience through personalized interactions and targeted marketing.

- Salesforce to debut refreshed Lightning User Interface in Summer '24, promising improved accessibility and productivity.

- Controversy over digital workers reveals society isn't ready for AI colleagues, as backlash leads Lattice CEO to suspend the initiative.

Salesforce is implementing a return-to-office mandate starting October 1st, with varying in-office schedules for different departments amidst ongoing layoffs and an employee attendance tracking system.

Mark Sullivan, President of Regulated Industries at Salesforce, joins the Zennify board as an advisor, aiming to leverage his expertise to maximize the value of Salesforce's platform and AI investments for Zennify.

Smartsheet has attracted buyout interest from private equity firms, resulting in the hiring of investment bankers. The company's stock jumped over 5% following the news.

SAP has surpassed Salesforce in market capitalization, driven by robust growth in its Cloud ERP Suite revenue, highlighting a significant shift in the enterprise apps market landscape.

Salesforce unveiled Einstein Service Agent, its first fully autonomous AI service agent designed to efficiently handle a variety of service issues, boosting productivity and customer experience.