TLDR
- CRM closed at $275.08 on May 2, up 2.13%
- CEO Benioff slams Microsoft for “dark” tactics against Slack
- EU probes Microsoft’s bundling of Teams with Office 365
- Salesforce to accelerate Slack’s integration with its platform
- CRM stock down 17.59% YTD but up 56% over 3 years
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) shares rose 2.13% to $275.08 on May 2, even as CEO Marc Benioff reignited tensions with rival Microsoft.
In a fresh interview, Benioff accused Microsoft of using “horrible” and “dark” tactics against Slack, warning that similar moves are now playing out in the artificial intelligence space with OpenAI.
Benioff Calls Out Microsoft Over Slack, AI
Benioff, speaking at SaaStr, referenced the European Commission’s ongoing probe into Microsoft’s bundling of Teams with Office 365, a practice Slack originally challenged in 2020. “You can see the horrible things that Microsoft did to Slack,” Benioff said, citing aggressive market tactics he likened to Microsoft’s past actions against Netscape.
Salesforce CEO Slams Microsoft for the “Horrible Things” It Did to Slack, Warns of an OpenAI Repeat #AgenticAI
— Epic Plain (@EpicPlain) May 5, 2025
The Salesforce chief warned that the same “playbook” is being used now as Microsoft deepens its AI push, expanding its models and infrastructure independently of OpenAI. While he acknowledged competition is natural, Benioff stressed, “there are limits” that tech giants should respect.
His comments come as Microsoft Teams boasts a dominant 320 million daily active users — a figure that far surpasses Slack’s reach, leaving Salesforce fighting an uphill battle even amid regulatory scrutiny.
Slack to Play Bigger Role in Salesforce Strategy
Despite Teams’ lead, Benioff remains bullish on Slack’s future. He said Salesforce plans to accelerate Slack’s integration across its platform, aiming to turn it into the operational hub for AI-driven digital workspaces.
“Slack had a huge year last year,” Benioff noted, emphasizing that all Salesforce sales reps can now sell Slack and earn credit, elevating it as a peer product. He hinted that deeper integration details will be unveiled at Salesforce’s Dreamforce event later this year.
The company envisions Slack evolving into a center where AI agents, or “digital labor,” allow users to interact with systems and automate tasks without leaving the collaboration app. However, Salesforce has faced criticism for moving too slowly in realizing this vision, giving rivals like Microsoft and Zoom an edge.
Stock Struggles in 2025 but Long-Term Gains Hold
Despite its 2% gain on May 2, CRM stock is down 17.59% year-to-date, sharply underperforming the S&P 500’s 3.31% drop. Yet, over the longer term, Salesforce has delivered a solid 56.02% return over three years and 77.18% over five years — although still trailing the S&P’s five-year gain of 100.89%.
With its next earnings due between May 27 and June 2, investors will be watching closely for signs that Salesforce’s Slack strategy and broader AI bets are gaining traction. Analysts still see upside, with a one-year target estimate of $364.65, suggesting potential for a rebound if execution improves.
