It was written by four researchers who have been studying how digital tools and automation are reshaping how teams sell, build trust, and make decisions:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Dr. Colleen McClure<\/strong> \u2013 University of Alabama at Birmingham<\/li>\n
- Dr. Rhett Epler<\/strong> \u2013 Old Dominion University<\/li>\n
- Dr. Laurianne Schmitt<\/strong> \u2013 IESEG School of Management (France)<\/li>\n
- Dr. Deva Rangarajan<\/strong> \u2013 IESEG School of Management (France)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We\u2019re hosting Colleen & Rhett in a live SVCH webinar on Wednesday, October 29th at 10 AM Pacific Time<\/strong>, where we\u2019ll dive deeper into their findings and discuss how AI is redefining the sales profession.<\/p>\n
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\nWhy This Paper Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Almost every company is talking about AI in sales, from automating outreach emails to predicting which customers are ready to buy. But, as the authors point out, academic research hasn\u2019t kept up with how fast technology is moving<\/strong>. They set out to answer a basic but important question: What does \u201cAI in sales\u201d really mean?<\/em><\/p>\n
Their goal is to build a clear foundation for understanding how AI is affecting:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Salespeople (the day-to-day work of selling)<\/li>\n
- Sales managers (how teams are coached and evaluated)<\/li>\n
- Organizations (how strategies and operations adapt)<\/li>\n
- Customers (how they experience buying when AI is involved)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nWhat They Found<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The authors reviewed dozens of studies and interviewed 18 experienced sales professionals from industries like tech, manufacturing, and cloud services. Their interviews revealed an industry in rapid transformation:<\/p>\n
- \n
- AI is already everywhere in sales.<\/strong> It helps identify potential clients, write personalized emails, and analyze which leads are most likely to convert. Some experts predict that AI will handle up to 60% of sales tasks by 2028<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Salespeople benefit… but they also worry.<\/strong> Many said AI helps them save time and focus on relationship building. But others are unsure how much to trust the data or feel anxious about being replaced by automation.<\/li>\n
- Sales managers need new skills.<\/strong> Instead of only tracking quotas, managers have to interpret AI dashboards, guide team adoption, and ensure tools are being used right and ethically.<\/li>\n
- Organizations face growing pains.<\/strong> Integrating AI takes more than buying software. It requires clean data, cultural change, and trust between teams.<\/li>\n
- Customers notice the difference.<\/strong> AI can make messages more personal, but if overused, it can also make interactions feel robotic. The human touch still matters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/figure>\nWhat the Authors Say<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\u201cAI tools have seen widespread adoption in sales, but researchers are often several steps behind the business world,\u201d write McClure and her co-authors.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
They suggest thinking about AI not as one single thing, but in levels:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Mechanical AI<\/em>: like automation tools that schedule meetings<\/li>\n
- Thinking AI<\/em>: systems that analyze customer data to suggest next steps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
This classification helps clarify what kind of \u201cAI\u201d a company is actually using. Not every tool labeled \u201cAI\u201d is intelligent in the same way.<\/p>\n
\nWhat Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The paper offers a roadmap for both researchers and practitioners. The authors highlight big questions that still need answers:<\/p>\n
- \n
- How much should salespeople really understand about how AI makes its predictions?<\/li>\n
- What happens to trust and motivation when algorithms guide sales decisions?<\/li>\n
- How will customers respond when they realize a virtual assistant or chatbot is closing the deal instead of a human?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
They also stress that successful adoption will depend on education and transparency<\/em>: companies must teach teams what the technology can do, and what it can\u2019t.<\/p>\n
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<\/figure>\nWhy It Matters for Sales Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
For anyone leading sales or marketing teams, this research is a reminder that AI is not just another tool. It\u2019s changing how selling itself works.vThe best results will come from helping teams work with<\/em> AI systems that make smarter decisions, faster.<\/p>\n
The researchers argue that this transformation is both a challenge and an opportunity: it can improve productivity and customer understanding, but it also forces leaders to rethink how they train, measure, and motivate teams.<\/p>\n
\nJoin the Conversation<\/strong>!!<\/h2>\n
We\u2019ll discuss these insights live with the authors at our upcoming webinar on Wednesday, October 29th at 10:00 AM Pacific Time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
If you work in sales, marketing, or customer strategy, this is a unique opportunity to understand how AI is transforming the field directly from the people researching it.<\/p>\n
- Thinking AI<\/em>: systems that analyze customer data to suggest next steps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- Salespeople benefit… but they also worry.<\/strong> Many said AI helps them save time and focus on relationship building. But others are unsure how much to trust the data or feel anxious about being replaced by automation.<\/li>\n
- AI is already everywhere in sales.<\/strong> It helps identify potential clients, write personalized emails, and analyze which leads are most likely to convert. Some experts predict that AI will handle up to 60% of sales tasks by 2028<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Dr. Rhett Epler<\/strong> \u2013 Old Dominion University<\/li>\n