The Future of AI in Sales: Why Human Relationships Will Triumph Over Artificial Intelligence

In a rapidly evolving sales landscape, the question remains: Will AI replace human relationships, or will human interaction continue to dominate?

We are racing toward a critical decision about technology and human interaction, one that could create a divide between technologists and those who prefer human engagement. It has been said that GPT was released to acclimate us to artificial intelligence. What comes next will be much more than most people expect: AGI (artificial general intelligence). AGI is artificial intelligence that no longer needs to be trained because it will train itself. I suspect that OpenAI and others already have AGI capabilities.

There was a time when sales organizations and their leaders gave up on salespeople and turned instead to technology. Caught in a storm of technology, they steered away from human expertise and into the depths of automation. Generally, technology is good and helpful, but as tech stacks have grown larger and more expensive, key performance indicators (KPIs) from quota attainment to win rates have plummeted. If there are any enlightened sales leaders who have noticed that technology is not the answer to better sales results—regardless of the investment in technology—they might now see that the supposed increase in efficiency is nothing more than a mirage in the desert.

The same sales leaders who have been chasing efficiency will no doubt turn to AI to replace humans, as AI is cheaper and works relentlessly on the tasks embedded in its prompts. There are already technologies that can handle cold outreach—something salespeople long for. What they don’t realize is that, if AI can get a meeting, it won’t be long before a client ends up talking to an AI agent.

If AI bots can do most of the salesperson's work, there will be no need for sales managers or sales leaders, as algorithms handle the tasks based on their programming. I imagine these sales leaders will spend their time cutting each other’s hair.

The Unseen Consequences of AI-Driven Sales Strategies

On the other side of this coming divide will be the people who choose to stick with humans, who will use AI as an assistive tool. This is the difference between having a pilot and flying without one. In complex or enterprise-level sales pursuits, a bot is like a machine with no soul—efficient but missing all the advantages found in humans. These include: emotional intelligence, creative imagination beyond algorithms, moral or ethical judgment, contextual understanding, cultural awareness, subtle nuances and ambiguity, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, a sense of humor, intuition and instinct, long-term vision, wisdom, experience, adaptability, and, most importantly, the ability to care, love, kindness, and community.

No one can have a meaningful relationship with an algorithm or AI sales agent. Those who fully embrace AI as a human replacement will not be able to build the lifelong relationships that come naturally to most salespeople. Think for a moment about why purchasing professionals want to turn the RFP process into a transaction. Because relationships make it easier to win deals, regardless of most other variables, including the one purchasing cares about most: price.

The AI Divide in Sales

A critical decision point is approaching regarding technology and human interaction in sales, potentially creating a divide between technologists and those favoring human engagement. Some sales organizations are turning to AI and automation, moving away from human expertise despite declining performance indicators. AI may replace certain sales roles, potentially eliminating the need for sales managers and leaders. This may work to some extent in transactional sales, but humans will continue to make a difference when relationships matter.

The Case for Human-Centric Sales

Some organizations will use AI as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for human salespeople. Human salespeople possess unique advantages over AI, including emotional intelligence, empathy, cultural awareness, and the ability to form meaningful relationships. Building lifelong relationships, which AI cannot replicate, remains crucial in winning deals and overcoming transactional approaches.