Agentforce 2025 vs 2026: What Actually Changed in Salesforce

In 2025, building with Agentforce felt like working with a smart assistant. In 2026, it feels like designing systems of autonomous digital coworkers. Over the past year, I maintained my 2025 Agentforce Champion status and advanced to 2026 Champion. What surprised me most wasn’t the badge itself. It was how much the Salesforce platform matured in just one cycle. This isn’t a celebration post. It’s a breakdown of what actually changed. The Big Shift: From AI Features to Agent Architecture In 2025, most implementations focused on adding AI capabilities into workflows. Think: Case summarization Drafted responses Prompt-driven automation Single-task execution AI enhanced productivity In 2026, the shift is architectural. Now we’re designing: Multi-step autonomous workflows Agents that reason across data sources Controlled decision paths Observable, auditable execution chains The question is no longer: "How can AI assist users?" It’s: "How do we design, govern, and scale autonomous agents res