Seismic, a global leader in AI-powered enablement, reveals that sales and distribution teams are under intensified pressure to drive growth, retain customers, and improve performance. However, disconnected systems, manual reporting, and AI uncertainty continue to make execution more difficult.
54% of GTM leaders cite speed to revenue as a top revenue performance priority this year.
Analytics and performance measurement, and customer retention and account growth each followed at 50%.
56% of leaders say poor integration with existing tools is a top obstacle preventing optimal platform use.
51% struggle to prove ROI from their current revenue enablement platform.
Only 9% of GTM leaders report AI is fully embedded into core workflows for decision-making.
58% consider revenue enablement very strategic and a core driver of go-to-market performance.
The report, based on independent research conducted by NewtonX, shows that Revenue Enablement has become a strategic catalyst for firms looking to align revenue growth, customer experience and AI strategy. Direct sales and distribution channels remain central to growth, even as businesses push for efficiency through technology adoption.
Sales leaders are being asked to find more growth without adding headcount, gain efficiency through technology adoption, and deliver stronger customer experiences across every interaction.
“Growth is still the mandate for every go-to-market team, even as AI changes how work is executed,” said Rob Tarkoff, Chief Executive Officer, Seismic. “Sales and distribution teams are being asked to move faster, strengthen customer relationships and improve performance without adding unnecessary complexity. The data is clear: Revenue Enablement has become a strategic catalyst for firms looking to align revenue growth, customer experience and AI strategy.”
The research found that 56% of leaders cited poor integration with existing tools as a top obstacle preventing revenue teams from using current platforms at their highest level. Additionally, 51% said they struggle to understand the ROI from their current revenue enablement platform. Nearly half (48%) cited manual and time-consuming reporting as another top obstacle to execution.
Analytics and measurable ROI were ranked as the top criteria for evaluating new platforms. Other unmet needs with current revenue enablement platforms include poor CRM and tool integration at 43%, weak AI quality and control at 37%, and no clear revenue impact data at 36%.
Only 9% of GTM leaders said AI is fully embedded into core workflows and regularly used to support decision-making. Approximately 4 in 10 (41%) said AI tools are partially adopted for specific tasks but not yet integrated into core workflows.
The leading concern about adopting AI tools is the quality and accuracy of AI outputs, cited by approximately one-quarter (24%) of respondents, followed by difficulty measuring ROI (18%), data security and privacy (16%), and integration with existing systems (14%). As organizations roll out agentic solutions, revenue enablement teams will play a larger role in governing AI agents and ensuring their outputs are accurate, approved, integrated, and measurable.
Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) respondents said revenue enablement is “very strategic” and a core driver of go-to-market performance. The report shows that organizations’ needs go beyond more tools or more AI. They need connected systems that help customer-facing teams act with clarity, consistency and confidence while giving leaders a clearer view into what is working.
Enablement is becoming a broader executive priority, with CMOs, CIOs, CEOs and CROs looking to enablement leaders to help improve sales and distribution performance, manage change and govern AI responsibly. As AI creates more content and complexity across the revenue process, enablement is becoming a critical function for helping teams turn strategy, trusted intelligence and human judgment into measurable customer and business outcomes.
Methodology
Seismic commissioned NewtonX to conduct a quantitative survey of Sales, Marketing, Finance and IT leaders across North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France and the Nordics. The survey was conducted from March 19 to April 8, 2026, and included 353 respondents across technology, financial services, business services and manufacturing organizations. Respondents represented senior decision-makers at the department head level and above, including leaders across sales, marketing, finance, IT, and strategy and operations functions.
About Seismic
Seismic is a global leader in AI-powered enablement, empowering go-to-market leaders to drive strategic growth and deliver exceptional customer experiences at scale. The Seismic Enablement Cloud™ is the only unified AI-powered platform that prepares customer-facing teams with the skills, content, tools, and insights needed to maximize every buyer interaction and strengthen client relationships. Trusted by approximately 2,000 organizations worldwide, Seismic helps businesses achieve measurable outcomes and accelerate revenue growth. Seismic is headquartered in San Diego with offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
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