Forrester’s latest report, The State Of Business Buying, 2026, reveals that generative AI is transforming B2B buying processes, leading to larger buying groups, greater procurement influence, and widespread use of trials to mitigate risk while buyers face intense pressure to justify every expenditure.
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Forrester’s The State Of Business Buying, 2026 report highlights how generative AI is fundamentally altering the B2B purchasing landscape. While genAI-powered search tools and answer engines provide speed and initial efficiency, they frequently deliver incomplete, inaccurate, or untrustworthy information. As a result, business buyers turn to their internal networks of colleagues and external influencers to verify claims, build consensus, and de-risk decisions.
Buying groups have grown significantly, now averaging 13 internal stakeholders and 9 external influencers per decision. For more strategic or high-stakes purchases, these numbers rise further. Despite the apparent complexity, 94% of buyers participating in larger groups (six or more members) experience tangible benefits, including broader input, distributed validation workload, improved budget justification, and stronger likelihood of final approval.
“B2B buyers are under immense pressure to justify investments and minimize risk,” said Barbara Winters, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester. “As buying groups expand and decision cycles grow, B2B marketers must develop dynamic, role-specific insights that capture how buyers evaluate risk, seek information, and define success for their business purchase. To win in this environment, providers must demonstrate deep understanding of buyer needs, ensure that their claims can be validated through trusted external voices, and design trial experiences that prove long-term business value.”
Procurement professionals now play a decisive role in 53% of B2B buying cycles, engaging from the outset rather than at later stages. These stakeholders evaluate solutions holistically—focusing on features, functions, efficiency gains, and productivity impact—rather than price alone. They often maintain more frequent contact with sales representatives compared to other buyer personas, underscoring their central position in modern buying processes.
Trials have become a cornerstone strategy for de-risking purchases. More than 60% of business buyers now incorporate some form of trial—ranging from paid, customized sandboxes to usage-based evaluation periods—before committing. This practice is especially prevalent for larger investments, with 78% of buyers making purchases of $10 million or more conducting a trial first. Trials allow buyers to assess real-world fit, performance, and value, addressing uncertainties that genAI alone cannot resolve.
The report signals a shift toward buyer-controlled journeys where AI accelerates early research but human trust and proof-of-value remain decisive. Providers must adapt by offering role-tailored insights, facilitating validation through credible third-party voices, and creating robust trial experiences that clearly demonstrate sustained business impact.
Forrester will explore these trends in depth at B2B Summit North America, scheduled for April 26–29, 2026, in Phoenix, where analysts will discuss the collapse of traditional go-to-market models under AI-driven buyer autonomy and strategies for success in this evolving environment.
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