In today’s B2B SaaS landscape, buyers conduct the majority of their research before ever filling out a form or talking to a sales rep. A few years ago, studies indicated that buyers were already 57% of the way through their decision process before contacting sales (CEB, now Gartner). Recent research shows this number has grown. By 2022, buyers were reported to be nearly 70% through the journey before reaching out (Forrester), and a 2023 survey by 6sense found that by the time B2B buyers engage a vendor’s sales team, they are approximately 70% through the buying process—often after eight months of research (6sense).

Research indicates that 78% of B2B buyers have fully or largely established their requirements before their first live interaction, and 84% of deals are essentially decided before the vendor is even aware of the opportunity (TrustRadius). This means the traditional marketing funnel is evolving, as the majority of engagement happens before sales is involved.

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The Rise of AI in Buyer Research

A significant shift in buyer behavior has been the rapid adoption of AI assistants, such as ChatGPT, for B2B research. Traditionally, buyers relied on web searches, content downloads, and peer recommendations. Now, buyers increasingly turn to generative AI tools for quick, conversational answers about products and vendors. A 2024 Forrester survey revealed that 89% of B2B buyers use generative AI at least once during their purchasing process (Forrester).

Other research supports this trend. One study found that 86% of B2B buyers would use a ChatGPT-like tool on a vendor’s website to find product information (MarTech). Clearly, buyers are comfortable querying AI for insights instead of—or before—contacting a salesperson.

Generative AI is attractive because it enables more research in less time—87% of buyers using AI say it helps them achieve better outcomes by making their research more efficient (Forrester).

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AI-Generated RFPs and Automated Sales Processes

AI is also transforming the formal evaluation stage, particularly with RFPs. Buyers can now use AI to generate detailed RFPs quickly, leading to an increase in the volume of RFPs being issued. In 2023, 56% of companies reported an increase in RFP submissions (QorusDocs).

On the vendor side, AI-driven RFP automation is revolutionizing how companies respond to these opportunities. Sales and proposal teams use generative AI to dramatically speed up the RFP response process. Instead of manually crafting answers to dozens—or hundreds—of RFP questions, teams can now have AI draft initial responses in seconds by pulling from existing knowledge bases. This can make the workflow up to 10× faster (McKinsey).

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How B2B SaaS Companies Are Adapting

B2B marketers are evolving their strategies to align with AI-influenced buyer behaviors. Companies are taking steps to optimize their digital content for AI-driven discovery, including:

• Ensuring clear, intent-driven content that aligns with AI-generated responses.
• Using natural language that reflects how real buyers ask questions.
• Keeping information up to date and factually accurate to increase visibility in AI-generated search results.

Some B2B companies are also experimenting with providing AI tools directly to buyers. For example, they are implementing AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants on their websites to assist visitors in real-time. A Gartner study found that 46% of B2B companies have already deployed AI chatbots or virtual assistants (Gartner).

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How to come out on the winning side of the AI buyer journey

To align with these AI-driven changes in buyer behavior, B2B tech and SaaS leaders should consider the following actions:

1. Invest Heavily in Early-Stage Content: Since buyers complete ~70% of their journey independently, provide rich, ungated educational content that answers their questions before they talk to sales.
2. Optimize for AI and Traditional Search: Ensure your SEO strategy accounts for how AI chatbots process and relay answers. Focus on clear, factual content written in natural language to improve discoverability.
3. Test AI Search Behavior: Ask ChatGPT questions as if you were a buyer. For example, searching for “top CRM software” will likely return AI-generated listicles with cited sources. Make sure your brand is referenced in the sources feeding LLMs like ChatGPT or CoPilot.
4. Enable a Rep-Free Buying Option: Adapt to buyers’ preference for self-service by implementing digital touchpoints that don’t require human contact, such as AI-driven chatbots, interactive product tours, and free trials. Sales reps should focus on driving upsells and expansion.
5. Measure and Iterate: Start tracking the influence of AI-driven channels. Monitor chatbot interactions to understand what buyers are asking. Use Google Analytics to see how frequently AI bots ping your site. You'll see it under the referral site.

By understanding and adapting to these trends—including a longer autonomous buyer journey, the widespread use of AI for research, and the rise of AI-influenced search behaviors—B2B SaaS companies can realign their marketing and sales efforts for the modern buyer. Those that proactively adjust will build trust earlier, stay visible in AI-powered discovery, and respond faster to opportunities, creating a significant competitive advantage in the evolving B2B buying landscape.