Artificial intelligence is no longer a peripheral tool for B2B

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artificial intelligence tools

Artificial intelligence is becoming a core engine of strategy, execution and competitive advantage. According to new industry analysis, 78% of B2B organisations are now using AI across at least one business unit, with 71% actively adopting generative AI.

The impact is already visible across multiple fronts: Zurich Insurance reports a 70% reduction in service times through an AI-powered CRM rollout across four markets. StackBlitz grew its ARR from $4m to $40m in five months using generative AI tools. And data science consultancy Statworx improved forecasting accuracy in the automotive sector by 10% using AI-driven modelling.

These examples underscore the pace at which AI is disrupting established business models, operational workflows and go-to-market approaches across B2B industries.

From data noise to market foresight

A primary area where AI is driving impact is in market intelligence. Businesses are using generative AI to extract competitive signals from disparate data sources—ranging from analyst reports to social sentiment—enabling real-time decision-making that once took weeks.

ZoomInfo’s AI-driven Copilot product is helping sales teams identify M&A targets and pipeline opportunities more quickly. The company claims sellers can surface insights in minutes that would previously take entire teams to produce.

Artificial intelligence strengthens strategic forecasting

Beyond insight generation, AI is also improving predictive capability. Firms like Statworx are deploying machine learning to simulate “what-if” scenarios for pricing, market shocks and regulatory changes. Their forecasting engine, tailored for a major automotive client, combined traditional data with real-time buyer intent to adjust product and distribution strategies with more confidence.

The personalisation imperative

Personalised customer engagement is becoming another major battleground. Zurich Insurance is using AI to deliver product recommendations inspired by consumer platforms like Spotify. Its CRM system integrates customer data with Salesforce and Outlook, ensuring customer support teams can tailor every interaction without friction. Early results point to dramatic efficiency gains and stronger user experiences.

That said, not every use case is suited to AI. “I would never use AI to close a deal,” noted Timothy Beukman, CEO of Tim’s Web Worx. “Using AI to find leads is fine, but there still needs to be a human element when closing.”

Operational efficiency and the automation dividend

Companies are also turning to AI for process automation. JPMorgan Chase, for example, has deployed AI to streamline document review and compliance, freeing up staff for more strategic activity. Elsewhere, AI assistants are generating content, analysing customer data, and even drafting contracts.

StackBlitz offers one of the most striking examples of accelerated innovation. The web development platform used its Bolt AI tool to democratise coding, achieving $4m in recurring revenue within a month of launch. It reached $40m ARR within five months.

Artificial intelligence maturity now depends on infrastructure and talent

As AI tools become more widely available, the differentiators are shifting. Proprietary data, infrastructure maturity and AI-literate talent are emerging as key sources of competitive edge.

Bloomberg, for instance, developed its own large language model—BloombergGPT—trained on financial data. It’s now outpacing similarly sized open models on key financial NLP tasks.

Trust becomes the next differentiator

AI governance is now firmly on the radar. IBM’s watsonx.governance platform is helping businesses monitor AI for bias, explainability and compliance. The shift toward transparent, accountable systems is becoming vital as regulatory pressure increases.

What B2B marketers should do now

For B2B leaders, the opportunity lies not in waiting for perfect systems, but in piloting focused, measurable projects that align with strategic goals. This includes:

  • Assessing AI readiness across data, infrastructure, and talent

  • Upskilling teams beyond IT

  • Prioritising use cases that deliver fast ROI

  • Embedding governance and transparency

Former Cisco CEO John Chambers may have put it best: AI is advancing five times faster than the internet and delivering three times the impact. For B2B firms, the question is no longer whether to act, but how quickly they can build AI into the core of their strategy.

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