AI is headline. Authenticity is the differentiator.

Two conflicting trends are shaping B2B marketing budgets right now, and both matter.

First, AI search visibility has become a genuine budget priority rather than a buzzword. Discovery optimisation and answer engine optimisation (AEO) are increasingly named as top investment areas for 2026, as marketers shift focus from producing content to making sure it actually surfaces in AI-generated answers. (Source: EMARKETER)

But there’s a catch. At the B2BMX 2026 conference, one GTM leader pointed to data suggesting up to 95% of outbound B2B messages now get zero engagement — largely because buyers are drowning in synthetic, AI-written outreach. Nearly half of buyers say they’re less likely to consider a vendor if the first touch feels automated. The response from marketers: renewed investment in the channels AI can’t easily replicate — live events, owned media, and genuinely human outreach — even as AI tool spend continues to rise. (Source: Demand Gen Report; Content Marketing Institute)

Adding to the “question the playbook” theme this week: researchers at the University of Helsinki analysed over 31,000 marketing email subject lines sent a combined 4.6 billion times — and found some familiar “best practices” (power words like free, exclusive, today) actually hurt open rates rather than help them. Worth a look before your next campaign brief. (Source: MarTech)

The takeaway: optimise for AI discovery, but don’t let AI write the conversation once you’ve been found.