Level 1 – No AI Adoption

What This Level Means

At this stage, GTM teams operate entirely on manual processes with no AI or automation in place. Data is managed manually, decision-making is intuition-based, and insights are reactive rather than predictive. Teams rely on spreadsheets, email, and basic tools, creating inefficiencies that slow down execution and limit scalability.

Without AI-powered automation, companies face longer sales cycles, higher customer acquisition costs, and operational bottlenecks. GTM Bloat—inefficiencies that slow execution—thrives in manual environments, making it difficult to compete with AI-augmented teams operating at GTM Velocity.

What It Means to Be at This Level in 2025

AI adoption in go-to-market functions is accelerating rapidly.

• 80% of businesses have adopted AI to some extent (Vention), meaning companies that remain fully manual are falling behind.
• AI-powered sales teams are growing revenue 1.3x faster than those without AI-driven automation (Salesforce).
• 74% of organizations are actively scaling AI, yet only 4% have reached full AI maturity (BCG).

Companies stuck at Level 1 face a widening gap between AI-first organizations and those struggling with inefficiencies. Without AI, GTM motions remain slow, fragmented, and costly, while AI-powered competitors use predictive analytics and automated workflows to optimize revenue growth.

How to Start Moving Toward Level 2

To progress from manual GTM execution to AI-augmented workflows, leaders should focus on three foundational steps:

1. Start Small with Automation – Identify low-risk, high-reward AI applications, such as automating CRM data entry, scheduling follow-ups, or email sequencing.
2. Improve Data Readiness – Centralize customer and sales data to ensure clean, structured inputs for AI-driven insights.
3. Increase AI Awareness Across Teams – Provide AI training and hands-on workshops to help teams understand how AI enhances efficiency without replacing human expertise.

With these small steps, organizations can eliminate the most time-consuming manual tasks and begin transitioning to data-driven, AI-supported GTM strategies—a critical move for staying competitive.

Not sure where to get started? Take a tour of this suite of free AI tools to begin integrating AI into your workflows today!

Or you can download our free State of GTM AI Report (2025) to learn more about how your company stacks up to the competition.