Why Trust, Storytelling and AI Must Co-Exist in B2B Marketing

As B2B buying grows more complex and AI reshapes how customers interact, marketers must balance automation with authenticity, and community with creativity.

At a recent industry panel hosted by Adobe’s CMO Rachel Thornton and moderated by economist Karen Kimbrough, senior leaders from Adobe, ServiceNow, and Brain Labs shared fresh insights into how B2B marketing is evolving in the age of AI.

One thing was clear: while AI is dramatically altering marketing workflows and customer journeys, it’s the human factors relationships, recommendations, and storytelling that remain the biggest differentiators in a crowded and risk-averse B2B landscape.

A Changing Buyer Landscape

Today’s B2B buyers are more cautious, more informed, and more collaborative. Buying groups now frequently involve more than 20 stakeholders, and fear of making the wrong decision has extended the sales cycle. According to Adobe, 90% of CMOs now prioritise AI integration, while AI literacy has increased sevenfold across the marketing workforce.

Yet while AI tools are advancing rapidly, many organisations are struggling to adopt them effectively. Some are facing what the panel call…