More and more B2B buyers are turning to tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for quick answers, but many don’t trust what these tools tell them. According to research released today at the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, 70% of B2B buyers prefer a self-service digital buying experience, and nearly half use generative AI tools to research suppliers and products.
The challenge for marketers is that buyers encounter misinformation along the way. More than half say they’ve gotten misleading information from AI tools, and 69% rely on salespeople to validate what they’ve found.
This significantly changes the role of sales and marketing. Buyers can review product details and feature lists themselves, but they always want reassurance from real people before making a decision.
Why trust matters more in AI research
As AI becomes a larger part of the buying journey, marketers need to ensure that AI systems surface accurate and reliable information. This also means marketers need stronger credibility signals in their content and digital presence.
Analyst reports, customer testimonials, third-party reviews, and detailed case studies all become more valuable in this environment. Buyers want proof that the information they see is accurate and backed by real experience.
This change also changes what sales enablement content should look like. Gartner predicts that by 2027, 95% of seller search flows will start with AI. Buyers don’t need another PDF with specifications they can already find online.
What they still need is help understanding the business impact, internal trade-offs and risks. These conversations still rely heavily on human experience and judgment.
Human sellers always stand out
Gartner data shows that human salespeople continue to outperform AI in key elements of the buying process. Buyers said sales reps were much better at understanding their needs, building trust, and helping move decisions forward.
This gives marketers the opportunity to rethink how they support sales teams. Instead of creating more generic product collateral, marketers can focus on tools that help salespeople tell stronger stories and connect solutions to business outcomes.
AI can handle searches, summarize information, and surface signals quickly, but buyers still need human guidance when purchases become complex. They want someone who can explain tradeoffs, understand business dynamics, and help build internal consensus.
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At the same time, AI is raising expectations for personalization. Buyers expect suppliers to understand their business before the first conversation, putting increased pressure on marketing and sales to stay aligned.
AI is changing the way buyers gather information, but it’s also making trust more important. The marketers who win in this environment will be those who help buyers feel confident, informed and understood throughout the decision process.
