More B2B buyers are turning to tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for fast answers, yet many remain skeptical of the results. New research released today at the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference shows that 70% of B2B buyers favor a digital, self-service purchasing journey, and nearly half now use generative AI to investigate vendors and solutions. The problem for marketers is that these buyers frequently encounter inaccurate or misleading information. Over half report receiving incorrect guidance from AI tools, and 69% say they depend on sales reps to confirm or correct what they’ve found. This significantly reshapes how sales and marketing must operate. Buyers can easily access product specs and feature breakdowns on their own, but they still look to real people for validation before committing.
Why trust is becoming central in AI-driven search
As AI takes on a bigger role in the buying process, marketers must ensure that AI systems can access reliable, up-to-date, and trustworthy information. It also raises the bar for credibility signals across all content and digital channels. Analyst research, customer success stories, independent reviews, and in-depth case studies gain importance in this context. Buyers want clear evidence that what they’re reading is accurate and grounded in real-world use.
This evolution also reshapes expectations for sales enablement materials. Gartner forecasts that by 2027, 95% of sellers will start their research workflows with AI. Buyers don’t need another spec-heavy PDF repeating details they can already uncover themselves. What they still…