G2 AI Custom Research for Xactly · June 2026

AI in Sales Performance Management.

Based on voices from 98 in-depth enterprise sales performance management (SPM) interviews

AI adoption is already widespread. The real question is how teams turn selective wins into trusted, embedded performance management.

From selective use to trusted scale

0% selectively deploy AI today. No team has fully embedded it across the function yet.

Voices from the research

Hear Why Trust and Proof Determine Adoption Depth.

Two respondents describe the practical standard AI must meet before it can influence forecasts, compensation, and other high-stakes SPM decisions.

“Ultimately, if I had to choose one thing, it would be data quality and trust in the underlying information. You know, once that foundation is in place, I think adoption becomes much, much easier.”

Executive Director of Finance and Innovation

0:00

“A vendor needs to show three things in the context of my actual SPM work: how it works on my data, not a demo dataset; explainability I can use in disputes; accuracy and failure modes, not just averages.”

RevOps Manager

0:00

The central finding

SPM teams do not need another AI promise. They need proof they can put to work.

Four signals from the research

Where adoption moves—and where it stops.

93%are selectively deploying AI in SPM; no team reports fully embedded use.

Signal 01 · Adoption

Use is nearly universal. Embedding is not.

Another 5% are experimenting and only 2% report no AI use. The opportunity is helping selectively deploying teams move into compensation, quota, territory, and planning without losing control.

The next challenge is trusted embedding

The road ahead

Build trust, then expand.

The teams getting the most from AI in SPM follow a pattern: start where value is already visible, keep people in the lead, and expand as results hold up.

Make vendors prove it on your data

Ask to see how it performs in your own working context: reasoning you can follow, accuracy, and failure modes, not a demo dataset.

Build confidence

Start in forecasting and analytics

That is where your peers see value first. Build a measurable track record there before AI touches quota or pay.

Prove value

Keep your people in control

Human review and clear ownership for every pay-impacting decision, so reps can see who signs off and why.

Scale safely

G2 Research for Xactly

AI in SPM is no longer a question of whether—but how far.

Explore the complete research on adoption maturity, trust, ROI, governance, and the path to connected, agentic AI.