B2B buyers less trusting of AI than marketers assume
▼ Summary
– 70% of B2B buyers prefer digital self-service, and nearly half use generative AI tools like ChatGPT for vendor research.
– Over half of buyers have received misleading information from AI tools, and 69% rely on sales reps to validate what they found.
– Marketers must ensure AI surfaces accurate information and strengthen credibility signals like analyst reports and case studies.
– Human sales reps outperform AI in understanding buyer needs, building confidence, and moving decisions forward.
– By 2027, 95% of sellers’ research workflows will begin with AI, but buyers still need human guidance for complex purchases.
More B2B buyers are using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to research products and vendors, yet a significant trust gap persists between what these tools deliver and what buyers actually believe. New research unveiled at the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference reveals that while 70% of B2B buyers prefer a digital, self-service buying experience, and nearly half rely on generative AI for vendor research, over half report encountering misleading information from these systems. As a result, 69% of buyers still turn to sales reps to verify AI-generated findings.
This dynamic fundamentally reshapes the roles of both marketing and sales. Buyers can easily access product specs and feature lists on their own, but they crave human reassurance before committing to a purchase. The challenge for marketers is clear: ensure that AI systems surface accurate, trustworthy information while strengthening credibility signals across all digital touchpoints.
Trust becomes the new currency in AI-driven search. To build confidence, marketers must prioritize assets like analyst reports, customer success stories, third-party reviews, and detailed case studies. These elements provide the proof buyers need to validate what they find online. Gartner predicts that by 2027, 95% of sellers’ research workflows will begin with AI, meaning sales enablement content must evolve. Buyers don’t need another PDF of specs they can already find; they need help understanding business impact, internal tradeoffs, and risk. Those conversations still depend on human experience and judgment.
Human sales reps continue to outperform AI in critical areas. According to the Gartner data, buyers rate reps significantly higher at understanding their needs, building confidence, and advancing decisions. This presents an opportunity for marketers to rethink their support for sales teams. Instead of churning out generic collateral, focus on tools that help reps tell compelling stories and connect solutions to concrete business outcomes.
AI can handle research, summarize data, and surface signals quickly, but when purchases become complex, buyers want human guidance. They need someone who can explain trade-offs, navigate company dynamics, and build internal consensus. At the same time, AI raises expectations around personalization. Buyers now expect vendors to understand their business before the first conversation, putting greater pressure on marketing and sales to stay aligned.
AI is transforming how buyers gather information, but it is also elevating the importance of trust. The marketers who thrive in this environment will be those who help buyers feel confident, informed, and understood throughout every stage of the decision process.
(Source: MarTech)
