An Assistant Suggests, an Agent Acts
We should distinguish between two different worlds. An AI assistant proposes the content of an email, summarises a conversation and highlights key arguments. An AI agent independently searches for contacts, makes the first phone call, qualifies a lead and schedules a meeting. It is the difference between a navigation system that shows the route and a car that drives itself. Gartner predicts that by 2028 there will be ten times more AI agents in sales than human sales representatives. The digital co-worker is no longer a metaphor but is becoming a position within the team structure. In one of the reported implementations, AI agents contacted 130,000 leads and generated 3,200 sales opportunities within four months. This represents an impressive scale that would require the involvement of a large team of people.
The Customer Who Is Invisible in the CRM
The most significant change, however, is taking place not on the seller鈥檚 side but on the buyer鈥檚. B2B customers now conduct their initial research independently. They compare suppliers, read reviews and increasingly use their own AI tools before inviting a salesperson into the conversation at a much later stage. According to Gartner, 67% of B2B buyers prefer a purchasing process without the involvement of a sales representative, while direct contact with suppliers accounts for just 17% of the buying journey. This overturns the traditional logic of sales. A salesperson entering the process with product information is simply too late, because much of the decision has already been made. Value is shifting from information towards interpretation, insight and trust, namely the things customers cannot easily obtain on their own.
Saved Time Does Not Automatically Mean Better Results
Automation is appealing because it promises to give people time back. Gartner has calculated that AI saves sales professionals nearly five hours per week. The problem is that 72% of organisations are unable to invest that time in high-value activities. Those recovered hours disappear into further administrative tasks. This is why, despite the 88% AI adoption rate described by McKinsey, only 39% of companies report any impact of this technology on operating profit. The mere presence of a tool guarantees nothing. Value emerges only when an organisation is prepared to change the way it is managed.
What Should Be Done Today?
What should a Sales Director do? First, establish a clear boundary defining which decisions an AI agent may make independently and which must always be referred back to a human. Many organisations still lack standards governing the use of AI. Second, define metrics that demonstrate a genuine impact on sales pipelines rather than simply measuring the number of emails sent. Third, and most importantly, invest in skills and competences, beginning with your own and then extending to the entire team. Artificial intelligence, contrary to what major technology companies often suggest, requires a different style of communication and a different approach than working with another human being.
Author: Dr Dominik Skowro艅ski
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