AI: from intuition to intelligence  

Adit Abhyankar at Breakthrough explains how agentic AI is creating a new frontier in sales

 

For decades, sales teams have relied on human intuition, manual processes, and traditional tools to drive revenue. But the landscape is shifting rapidly. The rise of agentic AI—autonomous systems capable of making decisions and executing tasks independently—is fundamentally restructuring how sales are conducted. These intelligent agents are not just automating routine tasks; they are identifying opportunities, qualifying leads, and executing complex strategies with minimal human oversight.

 

Agentic AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s here, and it’s transforming sales processes at an unprecedented pace. By leveraging the latest AI capabilities in searching, reasoning and writing, agentic AI enables businesses to scale operations, improve efficiency, and deliver hyper-personalised customer experiences. However, as with any disruptive technology, its adoption comes with challenges that require careful navigation.

 

 

The changing role of AI in sales

Sales professionals across all age groups and company sizes are seeing immense value in using AI tools to streamline their workflows. In many cases, they are moving faster than their organisations by adopting tools that bring them the most value—even if those tools aren’t officially sanctioned by their companies. From securing meetings to preparing for them, conducting productive conversations, and managing follow-ups effectively, AI is becoming indispensable across the entire sales cycle.

 

However, as usage increases, so do frustrations. General-purpose tools like ChatGPT may help salespeople become more productive initially but often require significant effort to optimise prompts or ensure data quality and accuracy. This inefficiency can lead to wasted time as sales teams struggle to adapt these tools to their specific needs.

 

This gap presents a massive opportunity for platforms tailored specifically for sales professionals—tools that not only assist across the deal cycle but also integrate seamlessly into organisational strategies. Salespeople need solutions that understand their brand voice, marketing constraints, tribal knowledge, best practices, and past customer interactions while turning insights into actionable strategies throughout the sales journey. Legacy CRM tools often fail to meet these expectations, pushing sales teams toward general-purpose AI solutions that lack the depth required for enterprise-grade performance.

 

 

Transforming core sales functions

Agentic AI is revolutionising three key areas of sales: lead generation and qualification, customer engagement, and sales forecasting.

 

1. Intelligent lead qualification

Identifying high-potential leads has always been one of the most time-consuming aspects of sales. Agentic AI addresses this challenge by analysing behavioural data from CRM systems, website interactions, and social media activity to assess purchase intent. By prioritising high-value leads automatically, these systems enable sales teams to focus their efforts where it matters most.

 

For example, platforms like Salesforce Einstein leverage predictive analytics to identify high-priority leads while automating nurturing workflows. Similarly, HubSpot’s AI-powered tools score leads dynamically based on engagement history and likelihood to convert—streamlining the pipeline for faster deal closures.

 

2. Hyper-personalised customer engagement

Personalisation is no longer optional; it’s expected by customers in every interaction. Agentic AI uses NLP and sentiment analysis to tailor communications based on individual preferences and behaviours. Whether drafting personalised emails or recommending products during live chats, these systems create meaningful interactions that foster trust and loyalty.

 

Amazon Polly exemplifies this capability with its "Brand Voice" feature—a tool enabling businesses to create custom neural voices that reflect their brand identity. By integrating these voices into customer-facing applications, organisations can deliver consistent and engaging experiences that resonate deeply with their audience.

 

3. Real-time sales forecasting

Accurate forecasting is critical for resource allocation and strategy development. Agentic AI excels in this area by analysing historical data alongside market trends to predict future sales performance with remarkable accuracy. Tools like Oracle’s AI-driven platforms provide actionable insights that help businesses optimise pricing strategies, manage inventory levels, and anticipate customer needs.

 

 

The benefits of agentic AI in sales

The adoption of agentic AI offers several tangible benefits: 

• Efficiency gains: Automating repetitive tasks such as data entry frees up time for strategic activities like relationship building.
• Improved decision-making: Real-time insights enable informed decisions that drive better outcomes.
• Scalability: Agentic AI handles unlimited interactions simultaneously without compromising quality.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction: Personalised interactions foster stronger relationships with customers. 

 

Challenges every business must consider

Despite its potential, adopting agentic AI comes with challenges: 

• Trust issues: Autonomous systems must operate transparently to gain user trust.
• Integration complexities: Implementing agentic AI often requires seamless integration with existing workflows.
• Ethical concerns: Data privacy must be prioritised alongside compliance with regulations like GDPR. 

To address these challenges effectively, organisations must adopt governance frameworks that prioritise security, compliance, and ethical considerations.

 

 

The future of sales is here

Agentic AI represents a paradigm shift in how businesses approach sales processes— empowering professionals with intelligent tools that enhance their capabilities rather than replacing them outright. The true potential of agentic AI lies in augmenting human ingenuity rather than substituting it entirely.

 

By enabling sales teams to focus on building connections while automating complex workflows behind the scenes, agentic AI is redefining what’s possible in modern business environments.

The rise of agentic AI isn’t just reshaping how deals are closed; it’s setting a new standard for efficiency and personalisation in every stage of the customer journey. 

 

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Adit Abhyankar is CEO of Breakthrough

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and Epstudio20