Salesforce has unveiled its latest State of Sales report, revealing that artificial intelligence (AI) is a pivotal strategy for driving company growth in 2026. The survey, which included 4,000 sales professionals globally and 100 in Singapore, highlights the increasing reliance on AI and agents to overcome administrative bottlenecks and enhance productivity. Notably, 82% of Singapore sales leaders with agents consider them essential for meeting business demands.
The report indicates that AI adoption in sales is now mainstream, with 80% of Singapore sales organisations utilising AI for tasks such as prospecting, forecasting, and drafting emails. AI agents are becoming increasingly popular, with 50% of sellers having used them and 44% planning to do so by 2027. These agents are expected to reduce prospect research time by 32% and email drafting by 34%.
Paul Carvouni, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce ASEAN, stated, “Agentic AI is the strategic lever that allows businesses to offload time-consuming administrative tasks and empower sales teams to focus on quality sales conversations.”
The report also highlights the challenges faced by Gen Z sellers, who spend only 35% of their time selling due to manual data entry tasks. This has led to a significant shift in workforce sentiment, with Gen Z more open to leaving their jobs due to a lack of advancement opportunities.
To maximise AI returns, 85% of Singapore sales professionals are focusing on data cleansing, with high performers prioritising data hygiene. This focus on trusted, connected data is crucial for supporting AI initiatives and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
