In 2026, B2B buyers won’t just be looking for solutions — they’ll be looking for proof. The days of persuasive promises and polished pitch decks are fading fast. Buyers are navigating economic uncertainty, cost pressures, and a flood of AI-generated content. In this environment, trust is no longer a soft metric. It’s a strategic imperative.
As buyers become more empowered and skeptical, they’re demanding transparency, validation, and measurable outcomes. GenAI may be accelerating the buying process, but it’s also introducing new risks and raising the bar for credibility. Providers that fail to adapt will find themselves sidelined or, worse, in legal trouble.
Three key predictions highlight the changes that we can expect in business purchasing in 2026:
A Fortune 500 company will sue a B2B provider for AI-generated misrepresentation. GenAI is transforming how buyers discover and evaluate providers, but it’s also introducing misinformation. As providers feed AI systems with content, fake reviews and inaccurate data are slipping through. In 2026, we expect a major legal reckoning when a Fortune 500 company sues a provider over false claims generated by AI. We’ve already seen early signs of this shift: The Australian government recently demanded a refund from Deloitte for an AI-generated report that failed to meet expectations. This kind of accountability will only intensify.
Human expertise will rival genAI in appeal as buyers seek deeper validation. While genAI tools are useful for gathering information, they fall short when buyers need nuanced answers and confidence in complex decisions. In 2026, product experts and customer success teams will become critical sources of trust. Buyers will increasingly turn to human interactions to validate AI-generated insights and ensure that offerings meet their needs.
More than half of business buyers will use trials as a critical decision point. Trials are no longer just a checkbox; they’re the proving ground. In 2026, over half of buyers will use trials to fully evaluate providers before making a final decision. Even paid trials won’t guarantee a closed deal. Trials will become a decisive moment in the buying journey, especially in high-stakes purchases.
What Should B2B Providers Do?
To win in 2026, marketers and sellers must shift from persuasion to proof. That means showcasing real outcomes, elevating trusted voices, and designing buying experiences that build confidence at every step. Whether it’s through validated AI content, expert-led interactions, or trial-based evaluations, the message is clear: Trust is earned, not claimed.
Read our full Predictions 2026: Business Buyers report to learn more about these predictions and two additional ones. Schedule a Forrester guidance session to discuss these predictions and learn how you can prepare your sales, marketing, and product teams to adapt their strategies.
Not a client? Download our complimentary B2B Predictions 2026 guide, which covers all of our top predictions for 2026. Additional resources, including webinars, are available on the Predictions 2026 hub.
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