Sales teams struggle to prove AI return on investment

Sales organizations are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence tools but are struggling to measure and prove their return on investment (ROI). Data from ZoomInfo tracking between June 2025 and July 2026 identified a specific trend where companies are prioritizing AI adoption over the development of measurement infrastructure.

This gap is supported by a Gartner survey of 227 chief sales officers conducted in late 2025, which revealed that 31% of respondents cited the difficulty of proving AI-driven ROI as a primary challenge for their 2026 objectives. The lack of clear attribution makes it difficult for sales departments to determine which specific AI tools or workflow changes are driving results, potentially leading to investment decisions based on faith rather than evidence.