7 Trends and Predictions Shaping B2B Commerce
The B2B commerce landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The convergence of AI, shifting buyer expectations, and macroeconomic pressures are shaping how companies operate, compete, and deliver value. Organizations that balance digital transformation with practical execution will thrive, while those that hesitate may find themselves left behind. Here are the key trends and predictions that will define B2B commerce over the coming years, according to research and insights from Forrester and IDC.
1. AI Takes Center Stage in B2B Commerce
AI is no longer just an experimental technology—it is now embedded in every facet of B2B commerce. Organizations are leveraging AI in B2B sales to enhance product recommendations, improve search relevance, and drive AI-driven commerce strategies such as dynamic pricing.
Predictive analytics help businesses identify customer churn risks early, allowing them to implement proactive retention strategies. Generative AI (GenAI) is further transforming customer interactions, from automating responses to guiding sales reps with real-time insights.
However, while AI adoption accelerates, many companies still struggle with disconnected data and fragmented systems, which hinder their ability to achieve meaningful ROI. You can read more about the importance of an AI adoption strategy in this recent blog post by Tom Gorin.
2. The Rise of AI-Powered Buyer Agents
Industrial B2B companies are witnessing a shift toward AI-powered procurement agents that make purchasing decisions based on ESG compliance, pricing, and supplier data. According to Forrester’s predictions, nearly one third of industrial B2B firms will optimize their digital experiences to cater to these buying agents, “environmentally motivated buyer bots”, requiring enriched product listings and integration with procurement platforms1. As businesses strive to meet sustainability mandates and optimize their supply chains, AI-driven purchasing automation will become the norm rather than the exception.
For example, Siemens has been leveraging AI-powered procurement agents to streamline supplier selection and compliance processes. These agents analyze vast amounts of supplier data in real time, ensuring that Siemens meets sustainability standards while optimizing procurement costs. This use case highlights how AI is transforming B2B purchasing by enhancing efficiency and decision-making accuracy.
3. Conversational Commerce & Chatbot Adoption Remains Slow
According to Forrester’s predictions, despite the rise of AI and consumer openness to digital assistants, only 20% of brands will implement conversational commerce in 20252. Many companies cite stability, integration challenges, and concerns over user experience as barriers to adoption. While leading organizations are experimenting with AI-powered chat interfaces and guided selling, most businesses will take a cautious approach, ensuring their conversational AI capabilities meet stringent performance and reliability standards before widespread deployment.
Chat interfaces—particularly pre-agentic AI—were often innovative technologies in search of a problem to solve, rather than solutions designed to address a clearly defined business pain point. This mismatch contributed to slow adoption, as businesses struggled to find tangible value beyond simple automation.
One potential solution to these challenges is the implementation of agentic AI, which enables AI systems to autonomously manage and adapt more sophisticated interactions based on contextual understanding. Unlike traditional conversational AI, agentic AI can learn from past interactions, self-improve over time, and handle complex customer inquiries with minimal human intervention. Companies investing in agentic AI could significantly enhance their ability to provide seamless and intuitive conversational experiences while overcoming many of the stability and integration concerns currently hindering adoption.
4. Human Touch Remains Critical Amid AI Disruption
Rumors of the death of the B2B salesman have been greatly exaggerated. The push for AI-enabled personalization and self-service does not eliminate the need for human relationships in B2B commerce. Instead, the most successful businesses will merge AI-driven efficiencies with high-touch customer engagement. According to IDC3, “This harmonious interplay of technology and human capabilities will enable companies to navigate the complexities of modern B2B relationships, fostering meaningful connections with customers while simultaneously optimizing operational efficiency.”
AI can streamline processes, but complex sales cycles, high-value transactions, and strategic partnerships still require human expertise. Companies that integrate AI to augment, rather than replace, human interactions will provide frictionless experiences while preserving trust and relationship-building in B2B transactions.
PROS Collaborative Quoting is an excellent example of this, empowering buyers with a secure digital portal that enables them to work the way they want, whether it’s initiating quotes on their own, making changes directly to a quote initiated by the salesperson or working together with their salesperson and purchasing team on a live quote.
5. Sales Strategies Evolve as AI Becomes a ‘Coworker’
AI-powered agents are becoming integral team members, providing real-time insights, automating repetitive tasks, and enhancing productivity. By 2025 Forrester predicts, 40% of B2B organizations will embrace AI coworkers that support teams by analyzing customer data, predicting buying behaviors, and optimizing engagement strategies4.
2025 will be the year where sales organizations identify the use cases that make the biggest impact in a salesperson’s daily routine, ultimately cracking the code on adoption of AI agents. We know that speed and responsiveness are two of the biggest drivers influencing purchasing decisions in the fast-paced world of B2B sales. B2B sellers struggle to keep up amidst a constant barrage of emails and relentless reminders to update their CRM records.
In 2024, PROS teamed up with Microsoft to help sellers respond with accurate, personalized quotes through the integration of PROS Smart CPQ with Microsoft Sales Copilot. Use cases like the ability to automatically generate an email with an attached quote of a recommended products with personalized prices are what will make AI “coworkers” a mainstay in 2025 and beyond.
6. Composable Architectures and API-First Solutions Gain Traction
With the increasing complexity of digital commerce, IDC5 suggests B2B technology buyers “Embrace an agile approach to digital commerce and align technology strategically. Composable and API-first solutions can provide flexibility and enable rapid adaptation to market changes and evolving customer needs.”
Composable architectures allow businesses to put best-in-class functionality into the hands of the users that matter most, while delivering a cohesive experience to their customers and users. API-first solutions enable businesses to quickly adapt to market changes, connect disparate systems, and deliver personalized customer experiences without requiring extensive replatforming. This shift empowers organizations to innovate at speed while maintaining operational agility.
Moreover, the digital transformation in B2B commerce is driving companies to rethink traditional business models and operational workflows. Organizations leveraging composable architectures are better positioned to enhance automation, improve data sharing across platforms, and offer seamless omnichannel experiences. By integrating AI-driven insights and machine learning capabilities, businesses can proactively respond to shifting market demands and customer expectations, creating a more resilient and adaptive commerce ecosystem.
7. Proactive Compliance Becomes a Business Necessity
IDC6 also notes the importance of compliance in this new era of commerce, “B2B organizations face a complex web of geopolitical uncertainties and an ever- evolving regulatory landscape, necessitating a proactive approach to compliance and risk management.”
The regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex, necessitating proactive compliance strategies. B2B organizations must stay ahead of evolving data privacy, AI governance, and ESG regulations to avoid financial and reputational risks. Companies that embed compliance into their digital commerce strategies—through automated monitoring, real-time reporting, and integrated risk management tools—will navigate regulatory challenges more effectively.
Additionally, responsible AI is becoming a crucial consideration in compliance efforts. Organizations must ensure that AI-driven decision-making aligns with ethical guidelines, avoids biases, and maintains transparency in its processes. Businesses that integrate responsible AI frameworks into their compliance strategies will not only meet regulatory requirements but also build greater trust with customers and stakeholders. You can read more about responsible AI for pricing here.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
The B2B commerce landscape in 2025 is shaped by a delicate balance between technology, strategy, and execution. AI is reshaping customer interactions, sales processes, and procurement, but successful adoption requires data readiness, workforce enablement, and a focus on customer-centricity. A focus on seamless integration of human and AI-driven strategies and compliance will differentiate leaders from laggards. Businesses that prioritize agility, intelligence, and customer experience will set the foundation for long-term success in the ever-evolving B2B marketplace.
1, 2 – Forrester, Predictions 2025: Digital Commerce 3, 5, 6 – IDC, B2B Digital Commerce: Key Trends in 2025 and Beyond | Doc # US52637425, Dec 2024 4 – Forrester, Predictions 2025: GenAI As A Growth Driver Will Put B2B Executives To The Test