B2B companies are adopting artificial intelligence more slowly than B2C firms, with the gap widening as advanced “agentic AI” systems begin to reshape competitive dynamics, according to a new industry survey.
Lucidworks conducted the study using an agentic AI tool to assess more than 1,100 companies. The first-of-its-kind approach evaluated actual AI deployments rather than relying on self-reported claims. It found just 31% of B2B organizations qualified as “achievers,” deploying both core and advanced AI capabilities that measurably improve customer experiences, compared with 41% of B2C companies. More than 40% of all businesses remain “spectators,” with little or no AI in place.
Agentic AI refers to systems that autonomously plan, execute, and complete multistep tasks with minimal human oversight.
B2B vs. B2C agentic AI adoption
Michael Sinoway, CEO of Lucidworks, said the findings underscore the need for strategic AI implementation rather than cost-cutting experiments. He pointed to recent missteps, including Klarna’s reversal after replacing 700 service agents with AI chatbots.
“Cost unfortunately seems to have been a too predominant evaluation factor… you end up having lower quality,” Sinoway said. “Success comes from applying AI where it creates genuine value, not everywhere at once.”
The analysis found a direct link between ecommerce capabilities and business results. Doubling the number of best practices businesses deploy can double conversion rates, with a 90% statistical confidence level. Companies that focus on mastering fundamentals see greater short-term gains than those implementing advanced AI alone, but a combined approach delivers the strongest long-term returns.
Agentic AI emerges as a differentiator. B2B companies delaying adoption risk losing ground to competitors already building with AI, the report says.
“The time for cautious experimentation is over,” the report concludes. “The question isn’t whether to use AI, but how to implement it before competitors leave you behind.”
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