Chief sales officers (CSOs) are increasingly embracing AI and advanced technologies to transform traditional sales practices, according to Gartner, Inc. The firm’s 2025 Hype Cycle for Sales Transformation highlights innovations enabling sales organizations to adapt to evolving buyer behaviors and shifting purchasing trends. Gartner Hype Cycles track technology maturity and adoption, providing guidance on potential business impact and deployment strategies.
AI agents for sales, currently at the Peak of Inflated Expectations, are autonomous or semi-autonomous systems designed to perceive, decide, and act within digital sales environments. Powered by large language models (LLMs), these agents go beyond traditional AI assistants by autonomously planning and executing tasks with human-like reasoning. Organizations view them as proactive contributors to revenue generation. Major platform vendors and investors have accelerated development since 2024, though many anticipated capabilities still exceed current technological limits.
Emotion AI, positioned in the Trough of Disillusionment, uses AI to assess emotional states through computer vision, voice analysis, sensors, and software logic. The technology allows for personalized responses based on a customer’s mood. Adoption, however, is constrained by privacy concerns and regulatory barriers, such as the EU AI Act restrictions on computer vision-based emotion detection in education. Initial excitement has given way to caution as enterprises encounter implementation challenges.
Digital twins of a customer (DToCs) are in the Innovation Trigger phase. These virtual representations simulate, emulate, and anticipate customer behavior, enabling organizations to enhance data insights, personalize experiences, and improve strategic decision-making. While early use cases focus on monitoring product performance and optimizing customer interactions, adoption is still limited. Real-world deployment requires significant customization, reflecting the technology’s nascent stage.
Shayne Jackson, VP Analyst in Gartner’s Sales Practice, emphasized the urgency of integrating AI and digital capabilities into sales operations. “Sales transformation seems to be a never-ending state for today’s CSOs. The integration of AI, digital integrations, and intelligence, and new modes of operational adaptability can no longer be delayed,” Jackson said.
As these technologies evolve, CSOs are expected to continue leveraging AI agents, emotion analytics, and digital twins to increase efficiency, deepen customer understanding, and drive revenue growth. While adoption stages vary, Gartner predicts these innovations will play a central role in shaping the future of sales transformation.
