Featuring:

John Buten, Principal Analyst

Show Notes:

B2B buying dynamics have changed dramatically in recent years, and genAI is shaking things up even more. Around 9 in 10 B2B buyers have adopted genAI, Forrester survey data shows, and even more expect to use it in business purchasing over the next 12 months. How exactly are buyers using genAI, and what can B2B marketers and sellers do to keep up? Principal Analyst John Buten shares insights and advice this week on What It Means.

Buten starts by describing the explosive growth of genAI in B2B buying. Relatively unknown just two years ago, it is now among buyers’ top sources of self-guided information, along with vendor websites and internet searches. Buyers use genAI fairly evenly throughout the buying process, from researching vendors to creating RFPs to comparing vendors to validating decisions. “It’s really helping [buyers] streamline this research that they’re doing and save time,” he says, adding that the speed and convenience genAI offers generally outweigh concerns about accuracy.

The conversation then turns to how genAI is influencing buyer-seller dynamics. Use of genAI and conversational search makes buyers less inclined to directly access vendor websites, so “a lot of [buying] activity is happening outside of the vendor’s view,” Buten says. Another consequence is that by streamlining and expediting buying research, genAI allows buyers to consider more vendors than they would have otherwise, even for very large purchases.

What can B2B companies do to retain some control? First, says Buten, they “need to make sure they have the content to address the questions that buyers have,” given the conversational nature of research through genAI tools. Additionally, content should go beyond early-stage acquisition materials to support the entire buying journey. Companies also need to equip sellers to engage with more informed buyers, he adds. “[Sellers] are not going to be the people that are providing information; they’re going to be there to help gain the trust and start to steer the conversation in the directions that can show the value that the company can deliver.”

Looking ahead, Buten envisions a future where AI agents might handle vendor research and selection, particularly in commodified markets. This shift is already happening in structured procurement environments and could expand to more complex B2B purchases as technology evolves. The discussion closes with insights on how companies can prepare for this AI-driven future of B2B buying, emphasizing the need for strategic adaptation across marketing, sales, and product teams.