Salesforce shares sit at the epicenter of AI confusion. Here's how to trade it

If ever there was a stock that personified the promise and peril of the AI trade, it's Salesforce . Salesforce shares have been in a tug of war throughout 2026, and it may present an opportunity for options traders. The stock bottomed in late June, down more than 40% from the start of the year on fears that AI agents would make traditional software subscriptions obsolete. Fear collided with reality when the company released Q2 earnings in August that blew away Street expectations and put to rest, at least temporarily, that the so-called SasSpocalypse was upon us. The stock responded by jumping from $205 to a share price of $252 by the end of the following session, a rally of over 22% and the second biggest single day gain in the company's history.