MarketStar Blog

AI’s Role in Shaping B2B Enterprise Buying in 2026

The way enterprise buyers make decisions in 2026 has changed drastically from just a year ago. What once began with a search query or referral is now increasingly shaped by AEO and AI-driven discovery—long before sales enters the picture.

In fact, Gartner predicts traditional search engine volume will drop 25% by 2026 as users move to AI chatbots and virtual agents. This means discoverability depends less on ranking and more on showing up in the answers buyers consult first.

This shift is giving rise to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—the new standard for how brand value, expertise, and credibility show up in AI-generated responses. For revenue leaders, this raises a simple question: how is our value represented in the AI systems that influence discovery, comparison, and shortlisting—before a buyer even speaks to sales?

The world of outsourced sales is evolving fast and for revenue leaders, this shift is both exciting and overdue. What used to be a model built on activity volume and headcount is now giving way to something far more strategic partners — who bring AI, analytics, enablement, and governance together to run sales as a connected, outcome‑driven system. The category itself is expanding, too. The Everest Group estimates that the outsourced sales services market grew 9-11% in 2023–24 to reach USD 15.6–16.1 billion, a clear signal that enterprises are using partners as a strategic lever, not a stop‑gap.

The same Everest Group assessment highlights this new reality, noting how leading providers are expanding beyond execution and into areas such as GTM strategy, AI‑enabled orchestration, and risk‑sharing commercial models. 

But more importantly, their findings reveal something every CRO, CMO, RevOps leader, and procurement team should know—outsourced sales is no longer a lift‑and‑shift function. It’s a growth system.

Below, we break down the five key drivers shaping this new system and what you can do to stay competitive in this changing landscape

Why the Enterprise Shift Requires a New Sales Motion

Scaling from SMB into enterprise isn’t a “bigger version” of the same motion — it’s a fundamentally different operating system. Enterprise buying cycles involve more stakeholders, longer timelines, higher stakes, and outcome-driven scrutiny that SMB motions aren’t built to support. The way teams qualify, engage, demonstrate value, and align internally must evolve. 

The Real Difference Between Scaling and Stalling

Sales tools dont drive growth. Execution does.

The Procurement Function Is Evolving—And the Stakes Are Rising

More vendors. More compliance complexity. Fewer internal resources.

Procurement teams are expected to do more, move faster, and deliver value (prove ROI)—without a playbook for how to scale strategically. But when processes are fragmented and ownership is unclear, momentum breaks down. What should be seamless becomes slow. What should drive efficiency creates drag.

That’s why more procurement leaders are moving beyond reactive coordination—and turning to strategic outsourcing to streamline execution, reduce lift, and turn procurement into a driver of scalable growth.

In the hyper-competitive world of AdTech, the race to capture advertiser revenue isn’t just a growth goal—it’s a survival strategy. With budgets under pressure, channels multiplying, and privacy standards reshaping how data is used, the mandate for decision-makers is clear: scale, and scale fast.

The Great Divide: AdTech Expectations vs. Reality 

Advertiser churn is climbing. Campaigns are stalling. Internal teams are stretched thin.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has officially moved past the buzzword phase in sales. Across the EMEA region, tech companies are not just talking about AI—they’re implementing it, testing its limits, and figuring out where it fits in the ever-evolving buyer journey. But while the excitement is real, so are the challenges. In this article, we break down what’s actually working, what’s overhyped, and what it means for tech sales teams operating in complex, multilingual, and fast-moving markets.

If you’re in Marketing—and you’ve been paying attention—you’ll have heard of Account-Based Marketing, or ABM. If you’re not already doing it, you may wonder why it’s getting so much attention. Fortunately, understanding ABM is simple, and implementing it can be the key to increased, ongoing revenue for your company. 

In today's digital age, content marketing has become a vital tool for marketers. It's not just about creating content; it's about crafting messages that resonate with your audience and drive meaningful engagement. According to a study by Knowledge Storm, personalization by industry can improve a content piece’s effectiveness by a staggering 82%. This shows the importance of knowing your audience and tailoring your content to their needs.