By 2028 AI agents will outnumber sellers tenfold – Gartner

13th March 2026 |   Journal Of Sales Transformation

Melissa Hilbert.
Melissa Hilbert.

With AI agents poised to reshape sales, sales leaders must rethink strategies to unlock true value, business and technology insights company, Gartner warns. By 2028, AI agents will outnumber human sellers by ten times, yet fewer than 40% of sellers will report that AI agents have improved their productivity, it claims.

As AI agents become ubiquitous, Gartner advises that sales leaders should move beyond simply increasing the number of bots. Instead, leaders should focus on integrating AI into cohesive strategies that prioritise data quality, process automation, and user experience. Without a disciplined approach, organisations risk overwhelming sellers and missing out on the true benefits of AI.

“AI agents are everywhere, but there’s a value ceiling,” explains Melissa Hilbert, VP Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice. “Beyond a certain point, more AI does not mean more productivity. In fact, layering additional prompts and tools onto already complex workflows risks overwhelming sellers and accelerating burnout.”

She concludes: “The future of sales will belong to organisations that combine human empathy with AI-powered insights, delivering superior buyer experiences and unlocking real productivity gains.”

Recommendations for sales leaders

  • Redefine success metrics. Shift from traditional productivity measures to performance metrics that capture both human and AI contributions, including relationship-building and emotional intelligence.
  • Pilot and refine AI solutions. Launch targeted AI initiatives with clear objectives, monitor outcomes, and continuously refine approaches based on seller and buyer feedback.
  • Prioritise data quality and process optimisation. Ensure foundational data is accurate and processes are streamlined before scaling AI deployments, maximising the impact of automation.
  • Invest in seller enablement. Provide ongoing training to help sellers adapt to AI tools, focusing on collaboration between human expertise and AI-driven insights.
  • Enhance buyer experience. Use AI to automate routine tasks, freeing sellers to focus on delivering personalised, high-value interactions that drive customer loyalty.