New data reveals that advancements in AI are a major driving force behind the surge in tech investments, as it helps prove ROI for businesses
A new study from Seismic, the global leader in enablement, has found the overwhelming majority (90%) of UK Go-To-Market (GTM) leaders plan to invest in new technologies, anticipating a 23% boost in their enablement tech stack budgets over the next 12 months. Amongst the respondents, 87% envisage a 27% uplift in revenue on average over the next five years from boosting tech investment and merging AI with their GTM strategies.
“Enablement teams have become increasingly influential, driving strategic change and leveraging AI to optimise their processes and initiatives within their organisations – earning them a seat at the table with their GTM leadership and C-suite”
More than 400 full-time managers and senior leaders in sales, enablement, marketing and customer success roles within the United Kingdom were surveyed to understand AI’s role on the rising influence and expectation of enablement teams. The study found that:
- 91% of UK GTM leaders cited AI advancements as a key factor behind the increase in their tech investment.
- 89% are increasing their tech investment to enhance their ability to demonstrate enablement impact, as new AI features enable leaders to prove ROI.
- 93% believe their team’s reliance on technology has increased over the last 12 months, with 88% of respondents predicting this will continue into 2025, spotlighting the importance of future-proofing GTM teams with the right capabilities and tools.
“Enablement teams have become increasingly influential, driving strategic change and leveraging AI to optimise their processes and initiatives within their organisations – earning them a seat at the table with their GTM leadership and C-suite,” said Paige O’Neill, Chief Marketing Officer, Seismic. “The data is clear: if businesses are not looking to enablement technology to shorten the buying cycle and keep pace with customer expectations, they will be left behind.”
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“This data certainly confirms the vision of enablement becoming a more strategic function,” said Romain Brun, Director of Business Operations, CybelAngel. “AI decreases time on tactical and time-consuming tasks for enablement professionals to focus more on being strategic partners for the business. With technology evolving and blending different functions of enablement, enablement investments are now seen by leadership as a comprehensive and strategic driver for results across the entire organisation.”
AI literacy is now a requirement
The survey also discovered that the majority (75%) of GTM leaders agree that AI will transform their industry within the next five years. The same amount of respondents believe that AI literacy is now an essential skill for GTM professionals. This has prompted them to focus on developing AI literacy across their teams, underscoring that training and coaching are just as vital to success as the technology itself:
- Nearly all (97%) agree that they need to learn new skills to keep up with AI advancements.
- GTM leaders have already launched AI-focused training programs, with 72% implementing them for current employees and 68% offering them to new hires.
- Over half of respondents (55%) noted that their company is already offering custom AI training programs that are catered to different generational learning preferences, while 72% say they plan to offer this in the future.
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Adoption challenges today, transformation tomorrow
However, nearly half (49%) of respondents identified financial constraints as a key barrier to implementing AI-powered solutions.
Generational differences in leadership also pose challenges, with over half (61%) of respondents sharing that these generational differences make it difficult to secure buy-in for new technologies. What’s more, 66% revealed the term “AI” carries a stigma. This has led to almost half (48%) of respondents avoiding using the term in official communications, even when AI solutions are being used.
Despite the obstacles, optimism prevails with 92% of respondents predicting increased acceptance of AI across all generations within the next five years. Gen Z GTM leaders are at the forefront of this, as 93% are currently advocating for the adoption of new technologies within their companies, compared to just 66% of Gen X GTM leaders.