Seismic unpacks state of AI enablement in latest report

Seismic, the expert in enablement, has released the findings of The State of AI in Enablement: 2023 Report. More than 200 full-time employees in a sales, enablement, or customer success role at the management level or above were surveyed, with findings presenting a positive outlook for the use of AI in go-to-market (GTM) processes as respondents expect investments in AI to pay off in dividends.

Despite facing economic headwinds, 80% of GTM leaders anticipate revenue growth from incorporating AI into GTM strategies. Among this group, the respondents predict an average of 23% growth from AI utilisation over the next five years.

With AI-enabled revenue growth on the near horizon, investment is on the up. 87% of those who use the enablement technology already have plans to further invest in 2024.

These leaders anticipate enablement budgets to grow by 19% next year - a decision they largely attributed to advancements in AI, with the vast majority (85%) agreeing that these developments have motivated their company's increasing investment in enablement technology going into next year.

While the data shows GTM leaders' attentiveness to AI trends when making their investment decisions, it also identified a gap in their understanding of how AI is used in GTM processes.

Despite the majority confirming that AI is a major driver for their investment in enablement, only half of the respondents (49%) said they are either very or somewhat familiar with the applications of AI in sales enablement.

What's promising, the researchers state, is that this information gap hasn't prevented the march toward progress, with 75% reporting they would like to deploy more AI solutions for their team within the next 12 months, and 22% already confirming that they will get new budget or funding for AI-dedicated projects and initiatives in the next 12 months.

Doug Winter, CEO and Cofounder, Seismic, says, "The past year has been wrought with market challenges, which makes AI-powered enablement technology more crucial for business success than ever before."

"The proof is in the pudding: When an organisation's enablement efforts are streamlined with AI technology, it drives greater GTM efficiency, operational optimisation, and better buyer experiences - all of which translate into a stronger bottom line. At Seismic, we are leading the charge to define the future of AI-powered enablement and look forward to working closely with our customers and partners on this endeavor."

Additional key report findings include:

• The majority (68%) of respondents believe that companies who fail to effectively incorporate AI into their GTM processes will fall behind their competitors within the next three years
• The three top functions that GTM leaders are leveraging AI-powered enablement tools for are:
  > 63% use it for content analytics
  > 48% use it for content distribution
  > 46% use it for content creation, editing, and management
• And businesses are reaping the benefits. Of those who have implemented AI tools:
  > 76% say that their company has noted an increase in customer satisfaction since implementing AI into their enablement processes
  > 83% noted an increase in brand engagement since implementing AI in its enablement processes
• 78% of GTM leaders who have deployed AI tools report that they encountered initial hurdles before eventually realising positive outcomes
• The implementation of AI technology takes time and does not come without challenges. Of those who faced challenges, 56% report integration issues, 54% report a lack of understanding, and 37% report issues with data consistency and quality
• That said, the data is clear: the benefits far outweigh the challenges, with 47% of GTM leaders believing that AI is the primary force behind evolving customer experiences today