Every year, Dreamforce manages to do something remarkable: it brings together tens of thousands of innovators, customers, partners, and Trailblazers to explore what’s next. And every year, I come home energized, inspired, and carrying far more ideas than can fit into my suitcase.
Dreamforce 2026 was no exception. For the Sikich team, this year’s conference was our biggest and most visible presence yet. Between our sponsorship activities, customer meetings, executive networking events, Salesforce partner engagements, and countless hallway conversations, we had the opportunity to connect with clients, prospects, Salesforce leaders, and fellow partners from around the world.
But as exciting as the event itself was, the real value came from what we learned and how those insights will help our clients navigate what’s next.
Showing up as Sikich
Dreamforce is about far more than logos and sponsorships.
Yes, we had a strong presence with our branded lounge, meeting room, campus activation, executive networking event, and supporting partner sponsorship. Those investments created opportunities for conversations and visibility throughout the week.
More importantly, they created access. Access to Salesforce executives. Access to customers solving real business problems. Access to prospects exploring what’s possible with Salesforce, AI, and digital transformation.
One of my favorite parts of the week was sitting down with Salesforce account executives, industry leaders, customers, and partners to discuss business challenges, industry trends, and ways we can work together to create measurable outcomes. Technology starts conversations, relationships create results, and Dreamforce remains one of the best places in the world to build both.
The biggest takeaway: AI has moved beyond the demo
If I had to summarize Dreamforce 2026 in one sentence, it would be this: AI is now an operating model, where it was once just a feature.
Throughout the keynotes and industry sessions, Salesforce reinforced a vision where trusted data, governed workflows, and intelligent agents work together across the business. Our customers rarely ask us, “How do I use AI?” Instead, we’re getting deeper questions like, “How do I connect AI to business outcomes?” They’re moving past experimentation and are looking for ways to operationalize AI responsibly, securely, and at scale. For our clients, that’s where the real opportunity begins.
Data is still the strategy
One theme came through in nearly every conversation I had during the week: Everyone wants the most sophisticated AI, but not everyone is ready for it.
Our clients are focusing on data quality, process standardization, governance, and workflow modernization before deploying large-scale AI initiatives This enables their long-term success because they have trusted data and the right foundation first.
Industry innovation is accelerating
As someone who spends much of my time with clients in financial services, insurance, life sciences, and other highly regulated industries, I was encouraged by how practical many of this year’s conversations became. Rather than showcasing generic use cases, Salesforce focused heavily on industry-specific workflows and outcomes.
We saw examples of how our clients can reduce friction, improve customer experiences, automate repetitive tasks, and surface insights directly within existing workflows. To be clear, this is not about replacing people but helping people work more effectively and spend more time on high-value activities. This is especially important for those facing increasing pressure to do more with less.
The growing significance of Dreamforce
People often ask whether events like Dreamforce are still worth attending in an era where information is available online. My answer is simple: Absolutely!
Sure, you can watch a keynote online, but you cannot replicate a spontaneous conversation with a Salesforce executive, a customer sharing lessons learned from an implementation, a partner introducing a new solution, or a prospect describing a challenge you’ve never encountered before. Those moments happen constantly at Dreamforce.
As a partner, the event provides invaluable access to Salesforce teams, industry experts, and innovation happening across the ecosystem. As advisors, it helps us stay ahead of emerging trends so we can better guide our clients. And for clients, it offers direct exposure to ideas, technologies, and strategies that can shape their business for years to come.
Looking ahead
As I reflect on the week, I’m walking away with a sense of optimism. Not because of a single product announcement or the latest AI buzzword, but because we’re seeing technology become more practical, more connected, and more focused on outcomes.
It’s time to move from thinking about AI adoption to focusing on creating an organization that can connect people, data, processes, and intelligence in ways that drive meaningful business value. Dreamforce reminded us that we’re still in the early innings of that journey, and if this year’s event is any indication, the next chapter is going to be an exciting one!
On behalf of the entire Sikich team, thank you to our clients, partners, Salesforce colleagues, and everyone who took time to connect with us in San Francisco. We left with new ideas, stronger relationships, and a lot of enthusiasm for what’s ahead.
Let’s turn those conversations into outcomes. Contact our team to start connecting your organization in meaningful ways.
This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.
