n an era of headlines stating, “RIP [Insert Your Profession Here],” it seems more important than ever to separate fact from fiction. Recently, I engaged in a Twitter discussion around the possible downfall of the graphic design profession due to the power of generative AI. I was responding to one of the hundreds of Twitter posts suggesting that this or that profession was dead. My take is that AI, like any innovative technology, is a tool and that while AI will disrupt the field, the winners will find ways to use the tool to elevate the quality of their output. But that conversation was about graphic designers. What about sellers?
As an analyst in the sales practice at Gartner, I often get the question: Could AI replace salespeople? Here’s a spoiler: The answer is nuanced and is neither yes nor no. But there’s reason to be optimistic for salespeople willing to embrace AI as a tool – or, can I say, teammate.
AI Isn’t Coming to Sales – It’s Already Here
My breakout session at Gartner’s CSO and Sales Leader conference was titled: Using the Power of AI to Better Enable Your Organization. During that presentation, I stress that AI, traditionally a staple of sci-fi narratives, is already reshaping business functions today, including the sales function. From employing chatbots for customer engagement to implementing smart algorithms for pricing, AI’s touchpoints within a sales organization are almost everywhere.
And as AI innovation accelerates, especially with generative AI, it creates a real sense of unease across professional sectors. In the image below, notice the suggested completed sentences when you search “Will AI replace…” on Google. Fears of obsolescence are valid, but let’s pause and evaluate the evidence surrounding AI’s impact on sales.
AI as a Teammate to Your Sellers
While AI may appear daunting to some, its potential to act as an agent of transformation, when rightly leveraged, cannot be overstated. AI specializes in automating routine tasks and rapidly handling large amounts of data. By doing this, AI can free up salespeople to focus on what successful salespeople do best: nurturing relationships, strategic planning, and deal making.
Moreover, AI is a source of actionable insights thanks to its ability to analyze massive amounts of data and dive deep into customer behavior. These insights and the forecast trends AI can generate are delivering results. In fact, in a recent client conversation, the client shared that the benefits of AI are impacting his current hiring profile. He now mandates skills like generative AI understanding, digital dexterity, and data literacy for all new sales hires. This scenario envisions a future where sales leaders expect salespeople and AI to operate as a team, capitalizing on the best of both worlds.
The Irreplaceable Human Touch in Sales
But let’s not forget that salespeople possess unique attributes that give them an edge. Whether it’s nurturing relationships, identifying nuanced customer needs, or navigating complex negotiations, these tasks demand a degree of emotional intelligence that currently eludes AI. It’s also vital to remember that AI is fallible. A case in point involves a lawyer who leveraged AI for brief drafting only to yield case precedents that didn’t exist. And even simple tasks can challenge AI. Try asking AI to form ten sentences ending with the word “client,” and you’ll see what I mean – here is a task easily accomplished by salespeople but often AI writes at least one sentence that doesn’t end with the word “client.”
While AI unquestionably impacts sales and may render some roles redundant, its potential to entirely usurp all sales positions appears unlikely. And that’s good for buyers. Our research indicates that customers who avoid human sales interactions are more likely to express purchase regret with their decision than those interacting with salespeople.
Embracing, Rather than Fighting the AI-Infused Sales Landscape
We live in a constantly changing world where winners will recognize AI’s potential and adapt how they sell. Sales veterans have weathered technological storms in the past (think laptops, mobile phones, and video conferencing), and there’s little doubt they will survive this one.