Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) CEO Marc Benioff delivered one of the most well-received Dreamforce events in years, leaving Wall Street increasingly optimistic about the company’s AI monetization strategy.
Benioff told the Opening Bid podcast that internal changes at Salesforce have been dramatic since rolling out new AI technology, with results arriving far faster than expected.
“I can just tell you that our operating unit leaders and the way that they run and operate their businesses at Salesforce have radically changed in the last 90 days that we’ve rolled out this technology,” Benioff said.
He added that customers would not have to wait years to see value from the technology, describing the impact as nearly instantaneous and calling the results “pretty awesome.”
Oscar Health (NYSE: OSCR) CEO Mark Bertolini, who previously led Aetna for many years, spoke candidly about a fundamental shift he sees coming to employer-sponsored healthcare in the United States.
Bertolini suggested that rather than eliminating healthcare benefits, employers are moving toward a defined contribution model that mirrors the pension reforms of the early 1980s.
“What we’re calling for now is having employers, instead of getting involved in the selection and the risk of healthcare, say to their employees, ‘Here’s your amount for healthcare purchasing,'” Bertolini said.
He noted that this model is already visible among small and mid-sized employers, and that 94% of all employers and 72% of very large employers are now actively considering this approach as an alternative to traditional offerings.
Bertolini framed the shift as consistent with the original promise of the Affordable Care Act, giving individuals the freedom to select plans and networks that suit their specific life circumstances.
Maye Musk, mother of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, appeared on the Power Players with Brian Sozzi podcast to discuss her new book, “Timeless,” which covers the personal challenges she has faced throughout her life.
When asked about the prospect of traveling to Mars on a SpaceX rocket, Maye declined, but offered a thoughtful reflection on what the future may hold for her son.
“I think he would really like it in the city of Mars,” she said, adding, “I can’t say what’s going on in his mind because he comes up with these amazing thoughts.”
The week also saw significant broader market events, including the first Federal Reserve rate hike in three years, renewed volatility across equity markets, and ongoing debates around AI safety and human extinction risk.
These conversations with Benioff, Bertolini, and Maye Musk offer a revealing window into how some of the most influential figures in business are thinking about technology, healthcare reform, and the long arc of human ambition.
