AI vs. Human Insight – an AND, Not an OR

Q: What role do you see agentic AI playing in B2B sales this year?

Agentic AI is going beyond lightening sellers’ administrative loads to serve as a real-time partner during customer conversations. Rather than substituting human judgment, it strengthens it—allowing representatives to respond more thoughtfully to customer needs. When implemented mindfully, it reduces friction in the buyer journey, enables faster customer engagement at scale, and allows sellers to focus more of their energy on problem solving and relationship building, areas where human insight remains mission-critical and irreplaceable. We’re using AI to surface relevant insights, content, and guidance in real time. We’re also using it to coach agents and sellers on navigating complex customer interactions more effectively and streamlining processes. The result is more confident seller-customer conversations, smoother processes, and faster, higher-volume lead follow-up across the sales cycle.

Q: We often talk about how difficult it is for salespeople to adopt new tech. How are you seeing that play out in terms of AI-enabled tools and/or features?

The real adoption differentiator lies in how organizations introduce and support these capabilities. These tips can help. Companies that invest in training, change management, and practical use cases are finding that AI helps sellers close gaps faster—whether that’s identifying opportunities, navigating complex customer needs, or following up more effectively. Sales has always been about diagnosing problems and delivering value, and AI simply expands the toolkit sellers have to do that work well.

Q: Forrester says the atmosphere will be a little more subdued this year as AI exuberance cools and companies reckon with early missteps and inflated promises. They claim there will be a race to differentiate on trust and genuine value, that buyers are going to demand proof of AI’s promises, and that AI will face constant scrutiny. How do these observations resonate with you?

In my role, I meet with stakeholders across our client base, and I’m definitely seeing this play out. We’re entering a more mature phase of AI adoption, where excitement is giving way to accountability. Buyers are no longer interested in promises; they want evidence of real value, responsible use, ROI, and measurable outcomes. That shift elevates the importance of trust in your tech partners. The organizations that will differentiate themselves are those that treat AI not as a standalone solution but as a capability thoughtfully integrated with human expertise. By being transparent about both the benefits and the risks, and by deploying AI with clear intent and governance, companies can build confidence while continuing to innovate.

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