The next evolution of sales technology isn't an improved CRM but an integrated platform connecting ERP, finance, and legal systems. Salespeople will interact with it via voice commands to get instant answers, generate proposals, and coordinate cross-departmental actions without manual input.
Companies struggle to get value from AI because their data is fragmented across different systems (ERP, CRM, finance) with poor integrity. The primary challenge isn't the AI models themselves, but integrating these disparate data sets into a unified platform that agents can act upon.
Individual sellers can use free tools like Google's NotebookLM to build their own specialized AI agents now. By uploading books, articles, and podcasts on topics like prospecting or upselling, they create a personal knowledge base to get instant, tailored answers and stay ahead of the curve.
Many AI implementation projects are being paused or canceled due to a lack of immediate ROI. This reflects Amara's Law: we overestimate technology in the short term and underestimate it long term. Leaders must treat AI as a long-term strategic investment, not a short-term magic bullet.
Instead of a complex, full-funnel AI integration, companies can get a faster ROI by targeting a high-leverage, contained activity. Post-sales support, like using vision AI to verify warranty claims, is an ideal starting point for tangible results and building internal momentum.
Beyond displacing current workers, AI will lead to hiring "abatement," where companies proactively eliminate roles from their hiring plans altogether. This is a subtle but profound workforce shift, as entire job categories may vanish from the market before employees can be retrained.