Seismic Releases ‘Generation Enablement Report: Driving Strategic Change with the Power of AI’, Uncovers How AI-Powered Enablement Delivers ROI

Seismic, the global leader in enablement,  released the findings of its new Generation Enablement Report: Driving Strategic Change with the Power of AI. More than 200 full-time Australian managers and senior leaders in sales, enablement, marketing and customer success roles were surveyed to understand AI’s role on the rising influence and expectations of enablement teams. The findings reveal both the opportunities and challenges AI presents as Go-to-Market (GTM) leaders are asked to enhance technological capabilities, increase revenue, and future-proof their teams.

“Enablement teams have become increasingly influential, driving strategic change and leveraging AI to optimize their processes and initiatives within their organisations – earning them a seat at the table with their GTM leadership and C-suite”

According to the study, GTM leaders are preparing to increase their technology investment by nearly 20% by 2025, despite lingering skepticism about AI. In fact, 94% of respondents cited AI advancements as a key driver of this investment. This surge is primarily fueled by new AI features that enable organisations to gain deeper insights into the return on their investment (ROI), with 87% highlighting the ability to clearly demonstrate the impact of enablement as a factor driving this investment.

“Enablement teams have become increasingly influential, driving strategic change and leveraging AI to optimize their processes and initiatives within their organisations – earning them a seat at the table with their GTM leadership and C-suite,” said Paige O’Neill, Chief Marketing Officer, Seismic. “The data is clear: if businesses are not looking to enablement technology to shorten the buying cycle and keep pace with customer expectations, they will be left behind. Thriving in today’s dynamic market requires agility and adaptability, which enablement leaders are delivering in spades thanks to AI-powered technology like Seismic.”

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“This data certainly confirms the vision of enablement becoming a more strategic function,” said Romain Brun, Director of Business Operations, CybelAngel. “AI decreases time on tactical and time-consuming tasks for enablement professionals to focus more on being strategic partners for the business. With technology evolving and blending different functions of enablement, enablement investments are now seen by leadership as a comprehensive and strategic driver for results across the entire organisation.”

Additional key findings include:

AI literacy is now a requirement

• A majority of GTM leaders (83%) agree that AI will transform their industry within the next five years. As a result, Australian companies are focusing on developing AI literacy across their teams, with 9 out of 10 organisations saying they have prioritized AI literacy for their employee base. In fact, Australians were the most likely to say they are prioritising AI literacy compared to their counterparts in the US, UK, France, and Germany.

• Many GTM leaders have already launched AI-focused training programs, with 77% implementing them for current employees and 76% offering them to new hires. Notably, Chief Revenue/Sales Officers in Australia have a headstart on AI training, with 86% upskilling their existing employees.

• Additionally, the majority of respondents have introduced custom AI training programs tailored to generational learning preferences. The clear need for AI education highlights that training and coaching programs will be just as critical to success as the AI technology itself.

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Adoption challenges today, transformation tomorrow

• Less than half (41%) of respondents identified financial constraints as a key barrier to implementing AI-powered solutions, likely driven by current economic conditions.

• Another key factor that poses challenges is generational differences in leadership. Half of the respondents shared that these generational differences make it difficult to secure buy-in for new technologies.

• What’s more: 50% revealed the term “AI” carries a stigma, leading almost half (43%) to avoid using the term in official communications, even when AI solutions are being used.

Continued usage will bring undeniable benefits

• A whopping 91% of GTM leaders believe that integrating AI into their strategies will drive a 21% increase in revenue over the next five years.

• Despite the obstacles, optimism prevails, with 88% of respondents predicting increased acceptance of AI across all generations within the next five years. And 69% expect this reliance to continue growing over the next year.