Home topics news via pexels News News High-performing sales teams are 1.7x more likely to use AI agents Yajush Gupta February 10, 2026 High-performing sales teams are 1.7 times more likely to use AI agents for prospecting than underperformers, according to Salesforce’s State of Sales report. What’s happening : Salesforce surveyed more than 4,000 sales professionals globally, including 250 in Australia and 100 in New Zealand, revealing AI agents as the top tactic to drive company growth in 2026. Why this matters : Gen Z sales representatives spend just 35% of their time selling, losing approximately two full hours each week to manual data entry, compared with senior reps who use that time researching prospects and building relationships. As sales teams kick off 2026 with ambitious new quotas, they’re turning to AI, especially agents, to hit their numbers. A new survey of more than 4,000 sales professionals, including 250 in Australia and 100 in New Zealand, reveals AI as the top tactic to drive company growth this year. The data also reveals why. Sales teams are increasingly stretched between changing customer demands and limited bandwidth to meet them. The real drag on productivity, the research suggests, isn’t effort or skill. It’s administrative bottlenecks, a challenge hitting Gen Z sellers hardest. This year, they’re turning to AI and agents to do more with what they have. Ninety-one per cent of Australian sales leaders with agents, and 92% of those in New Zealand, say they’re critical for meeting business demands. The grunt