Key Takeaways
- Most B2B AI pilots deliver isolated wins but leave pipeline flat because tools don’t share data and teams measure activity instead of revenue.
- A free Oct. 26 webinar with Demandbase’s Topher Stephenson will show B2B leaders how to connect AI use cases around buying group signals as they set 2027 budgets.
B2B buyers no longer move through a predictable funnel. They research on their own, compare vendors before filling out a form and make purchase decisions as groups rather than as individuals. A single deal can involve finance, IT, operations and the end users who’ll work with the product every day.
Each of those stakeholders leaves a trail. A pricing page visit, a competitor review, a webinar registration or a category search can signal that a buying group is forming. For marketing and sales teams, the question is whether their systems can detect those signals in time to act.
Where AI Pilots Fall Short
Most B2B organizations have experimented with AI, and many pilots have produced results on their own terms. Content tools cut drafting time in half. Chatbots answer questions at 2 a.m. Yet pipeline often stays flat.
The gap comes down to coordination. One team buys an email personalization tool. Another tests predictive scoring. Sales adds an AI assistant for call notes. Each tool solves a narrow problem, but none shares data with the others, and no one owns the job of scaling what works. Teams measure success by activity, such as emails sent or dashboards built, rather than by revenue.
That disconnect matters because buying group signals rarely land in one place. When intent data sits in one system and outreach runs from another, teams miss the moment a deal starts to take shape. Connected data lets marketing and sales spot that moment together and respond before a competitor does.
Webinar Addresses 2027 GTM Planning
A free webinar, “Beyond the AI Pilot: Building Your 2027 GTM Strategy,” will examine the issue on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. ET. Topher Stephenson of Demandbase will outline how B2B leaders move past disconnected AI use cases and build AI into the core of their go-to-market (GTM) strategy. James Hickey of Demand Gen Report will moderate.
According to the organizers, the session will show attendees how to prioritize AI use cases by potential pipeline impact and how to connect isolated experiments into coordinated GTM motions. It’ll also cover planning around buyer signals and buying groups instead of static audiences and channels. The final topic is measurement: whether AI improves pipeline outcomes such as opportunity creation, deal velocity and win rates, not just activity.
The timing aligns with budget season. Many organizations are setting 2027 plans in the coming weeks. Those decisions will determine whether AI spending can be tied to measurable growth or remains a line item that’s difficult to defend.
How to Register
Beyond the AI Pilot: Building Your 2027 GTM Strategy
Oct. 26, 2026 | 2 p.m. ET | Free webinar
Registration is open now. Attendees can bring their toughest AI questions to the live discussion.
