New Responsive study finds AI is reshaping vendor discovery, but trust and expertise still determine final decisions

Generative AI (GenAI) has overtaken traditional search for a quarter of B2B buyers, with nearly two-thirds using GenAI as much as or more than search when researching vendors, according to new research from Responsive, the leader in AI-powered Strategic Response Management (SRM).

While AI is transforming how buyers discover and evaluate vendors, the study finds that the deciding factors remain fundamentals: trust, industry expertise, and the quality of the RFP response.

“By the time a vendor reaches out, we’re already deep into the evaluation stage and AI has accelerated these efforts,” said Toby Carrington, Chief Business Officer, Seismic. “At that stage, we’re looking for proof. If a rep isn't enabled to demonstrate expertise and transparency throughout the sales cycle – including the RFP process – then they're out, no matter how good their product is.”

The report, Inside the Buyer’s Mind: What Shapes B2B Decisions Today, surveyed 350 B2B buyers across industries, regions, and company sizes to understand how enterprise buying behavior is evolving.

Key Findings

• AI is moving mainstream: 47% of buyers already use AI in time-sensitive stages such as market research and questionnaire drafting, and 53% plan to increase usage over the next year.
• AI signals innovation: Nearly one in three buyers are more likely to consider vendors using GenAI or agentic AI, and 42% say the same for automation.
• RFPs remain decisive: 61% of buyers say they start the process with a preferred vendor in mind, but nearly half (45%) say they are open to switching from their initial preference. The RFP response is the most important factor shaping buying decisions, cited by 81% of buyers.
• Trust ranks above price: Industry expertise (52% say this carries significant weight) outranks price (49%) and product fit (46%) in final decisions.
• Technology industry leads GenAI adoption: 80% of buyers in tech use GenAI at least as much as search for vendor research — 21 points higher than other industries. And more than half of tech buyers (56%) report using chatbots as a top source to discover new vendors, compared to just 28% across other industries.
• U.S. firms quicker to embrace AI search: Nearly half (48%) of U.S. buyers say they use GenAI for vendor discovery, compared to just 14% in other regions.
• Large enterprises lean on AI: At companies with 2,000+ employees, 42% use GenAI for discovery vs. 18% of smaller firms (501-1k employees).

“Enterprise buying has changed for good,” said Ganesh Shankar, CEO of Responsive. “AI now determines who makes it onto the shortlist. But the RFP remains the proving ground where credibility is tested and trust is won. The companies that win will be those that adapt quickly and show real expertise when it matters most.”

Download the full report by visiting the Inside the Buyer’s Mind: What Shapes B2B Decisions Today page.

About Responsive

Responsive is the global leader in Strategic Response Management (SRM), transforming how organizations share and exchange critical information. The AI-driven Responsive Platform is purpose-built to manage strategic responses at scale, empowering companies worldwide to accelerate growth, mitigate risk, and improve employee experiences. More than 2,000 companies have standardized on Responsive to manage RFPs, RFIs, DDQs, ESGs, security questionnaires, ad hoc requests, and more. Responsive is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with offices in Kansas City, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; and Coimbatore, India. For more information, visit https://www.responsive.io.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251015219810/en/