50% of B2B Buyers Start Software Research on AI Chatbots, G2 Finds
G2 finds 50% of B2B buyers begin software research on AI chatbots, reshaping how companies approach discovery, evaluation & buying decisions.
Jersey City, N.J., May 5, 2026: Nearly half of B2B software buyers now begin their purchasing journey using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, marking a significant shift in how enterprise technology decisions are researched and evaluated, according to a new report from G2.
Source: Data from G2, 2026 AI Search Insight Report
The G2 2026 AI Search Insight Report found that 50% of buyers now rely on AI tools as their first source of information, moving away from traditional entry points such as search engines, vendor websites, and peer review platforms. The findings suggest that early-stage discovery in B2B buying is increasingly being intermediated by AI systems rather than human-led research processes.
“AI chatbots are becoming the new front door to B2B software discovery,” the report indicates, as buyers turn to conversational interfaces to streamline research and decision-making.
Coverage by Demand Gen Report highlights that these tools are not limited to basic queries but are being used for vendor evaluation, product comparison, shortlist creation, and functions that previously required navigating multiple platforms. By consolidating these steps into a single interface, AI is compressing what was historically a fragmented buyer journey.
“The top of the funnel is no longer search-led, it is increasingly AI-mediated,” the report suggests, pointing to a broader redefinition of how demand is generated and captured.
The shift is being driven by the speed and efficiency of AI systems, which can synthesize information from multiple sources and deliver contextualized responses in real time. This allows buyers to move more quickly from awareness to consideration, reducing reliance on traditional marketing touchpoints.
As a result, control over early-stage buyer engagement is beginning to shift. Vendors are increasingly dependent on how AI systems interpret and surface their data, rather than solely on their own digital channels. “If AI doesn’t surface you, you may not enter the consideration set,” the report notes, underscoring the growing importance of data accuracy and visibility across AI-driven platforms.
The findings point to a broader structural change in B2B buying behavior, where AI is emerging as an intermediary layer between buyers and vendors, shaping decisions before direct interaction occurs.
The G2 report surveyed over 1,000 B2B software buyers across multiple industries. The shift toward AI-mediated research represents the latest evolution in B2B buying behavior, following previous transitions from print directories to search engines to social media research. Valasys Media’s AI-led campaign platform is also listed on G2, where it currently holds a 4.9 user rating, recognized as Leaders in the Spring 2026 report for Sales & Lead Intelligence categories.
