Emotion AI, machine sellers and digital twin of a customer will have a transformative impact on the sales function in the next decade, according to Gartner, Inc. However, sales leaders must closely navigate the hype to evaluate when these technologies will be appropriate for their organization to implement.

The Gartner Hype Cycle for Revenue and Sales Technology, 2024 distills key insights that Gartner profiles each year into a succinct set of “must-know” emerging technologies. These technologies have potential to deliver transformational benefits over the next two to 10 years (see Figure 1).

“The common theme of these three technologies are their ability to predict, interpret and serve buyers’ needs and behaviors and to streamline and automate sales fulfillment, releasing sellers to focus on developing high value client relationships,” said Guy Wood, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner Sales practice.“In order to gain a competitive advantage, sales operations leaders need to be looking on the horizon for technologies not currently in the mainstream.”

Emotion AI

Emotion AI, which is at the Peak of Inflated Expectations, uses AI and software techniques to analyze the emotional state of a user via computer vision, audio/voice input, sensors and/or software logic. Emotion AI turns human behavioral attributes into data. By enabling sales teams to utilize data to actively learn from and empathize with the customer, emotion AI is poised to dramatically change the sales function.

“Emotion AI has already been widely adopted in contact centers, but the sales function has yet to fully realize the technology’s potential,” said Wood. “However, CSOs must navigate privacy concerns and bias, which may be a barrier to successful adoption. For example, privacy and ethics challenges surround psychological profiling, especially when applied to consumers, recruitment prospects or protected individuals like minors. ”

Digital Twin of a Customer

A digital twin of a customer (DToC) is a dynamic virtual mirror representation of a customer that organizations can use to simulate, emulate and anticipate behavior. DToCs, currently at the Innovation Trigger,  help organizations better understand their customers and provide a personalized, empathetic service to customers, many of whose buying habits repeatedly change.

“DToCs can transform the way organizations sell products or services and provide customers with better experiences, which will result in increased revenue and lasting customer relationships," said Wood. “DToC can be an engine of transformation and disruption. Organizations need competency in machine learning algorithms and staff with data science skills to build or manage DToCs”

Machine Sellers

Machine sellers, at the early stage of the Innovation Trigger, are nonhuman agents that automate end-to-end selling actions on behalf of human sellers, or a sales organization, to sell products and services in exchange for payment. Currently, machine sellers can be used to facilitate simple and transactional sales. 

“Sales organizations deploying machine sellers will gain a competitive advantage by satisfying buyer preferences for seamless purchases and ‘locking-in’ recurring revenue. Organizations that do not adopt machine sellers will risk wasting resources, decreasing efficiency and missing revenue goals,” said Wood. “However, the impact of machine sellers will not be evenly distributed; it will vary by vertical industry, geography and business model”

Gartner clients can read more in “Hype Cycle for Revenue and Sales Technology, 2024”

About Gartner for Sales Leaders

Gartner for Sales Leaders provides heads of sales and their teams with the insights, advice and tools they need to address mission-critical priorities amid mounting pressures to drive growth through new and existing customers. With extensive qualitative and quantitative research, Gartner for Sales Leaders helps sales teams combat commoditization and price-based purchasing, develop critical manager and seller skills, elevate the value of sales interactions, unlock existing growth potential, and optimize sales force enablement. Follow news and update from the Gartner Sales practice on X and LinkedIn using #GartnerSales. Members of the media can find additional information and insights in the Gartner Sales Newsroom.