AI Agents Poised to Reshape Sales: Sales Leaders Must Rethink Strategies to Unlock True Value
Stamford, CT (Dec. 3, 2025) – By 2028, AI agents will outnumber human sellers by tenfold, but less than 40% of sellers will report that AI agents have improved their productivity, according to Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.
As AI agents become ubiquitous, sales leaders should move beyond simply increasing the number of bots. Instead, leaders should focus on integrating AI into cohesive strategies that prioritize data quality, process automation, and user experience. Without a disciplined approach, organizations risk overwhelming sellers and missing out on the true benefits of AI.
“AI agents are everywhere, but there’s a value ceiling,” said Melissa Hilbert, VP Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice. “Beyond a certain point, more AI does not mean more productivity. In fact, layering additional prompts and tools onto already complex workflows risks overwhelming sellers and accelerating burnout.”
Recommendations for Sales Leaders:
- Redefine Success Metrics: Shift from traditional productivity measures to performance metrics that capture both human and AI contributions, including relationship-building and emotional intelligence.
- Pilot and Refine AI Solutions: Launch targeted AI initiatives with clear objectives, monitor outcomes, and continuously refine approaches based on seller and buyer feedback.
- Prioritize Data Quality and Process Optimization: Ensure foundational data is accurate and processes are streamlined before scaling AI deployments, maximizing the impact of automation.
- Invest in Seller Enablement: Provide ongoing training to help sellers adapt to AI tools, focusing on collaboration between human expertise and AI-driven insights.
- Enhance Buyer Experience: Use AI to automate routine tasks, freeing sellers to focus on delivering personalized, high-value interactions that drive customer loyalty.
“The future of sales will belong to organizations that combine human empathy with AI-powered insights—delivering superior buyer experiences and unlocking real productivity gains,” advised Hilbert.
Gartner clients can read more in the report “Predicts 2026: Leading Sales in the Age of AI Contradictions.”
Learn more about the Gartner Sales Practice.
About Gartner for Sales Leaders
The Gartner Finance practice helps senior finance executives meet their top priorities. Gartner offers a unique breadth and depth of content to support clients’ individual success and deliver on key initiatives that cut across finance functions to drive business impact. Learn more at www.gartner.com/en/finance/finance-leaders.
About Gartner
Gartner (NYSE: IT) delivers actionable, objective insight that drives smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s mission-critical priorities. To learn more, visit www.gartner.com.
Source: Gartner
Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI), automated marketing, chatbot, independent agents, outlook / predictions, virtual assistant
