74% of B2B Buyers Would Switch Vendors for Better AI Agents. Here's What "Better" Means.
The 60-Second CMO, by Juli Anne Patty, Fractional CMO
Short answer: In G2's 2026 AI Agents Insight Report, 30% of B2B buyers said they would consider switching to a vendor with stronger AI agent capabilities, and another 44% would test an alternative and reconsider at renewal. That's 74% of buyers open to moving. To buyers, a "better" agent connects to the tools they already use, proves how it handles errors, needs less supervision, and has predictable costs.
Key takeaways
G2 surveyed 1,019 B2B decision-makers in July 2026.
86% bought AI agent software or services in the past year, up from 69% in 2025.
30% would consider switching to a vendor with stronger AI agents. Another 44% would test an alternative and reconsider at renewal.
72% say a strong ecosystem of connectors, actions, skills, or marketplace offerings is very important or a must-have.
57% prefer pay-as-you-go pricing for agents. Only 9% think per-seat pricing is fairest.
For software companies, this is both a renewal risk and a chance to win competitors' customers.
What did G2's 2026 AI Agents Insight Report find?
G2 surveyed 1,019 B2B decision-makers in July 2026. The findings show that AI agents have moved from experiment to standard purchase and that buyers now judge software vendors by the strength of their agents.
86% of respondents bought AI agent software or services in the past year, up from 69% in 2025.
66% of organizations have agents in limited or scaled production.
57% prefer pay-as-you-go pricing for agents, up from 38% in 2025.
46% say agents cost more to run than they expected.
34% say agent capabilities will be a primary deciding factor when they choose SaaS vendors in 2027.
Are B2B buyers really willing to switch vendors over AI agents?
Yes. 30% of buyers would consider switching to a vendor with stronger agent capabilities. Another 44% would test an alternative and reconsider at renewal. Together, that's 74% of buyers who are open to moving.
We all know that switching vendors is hard. It’s a pain. It’s a heavy lift to integrate a new solution and train employees to use it. What does all that mean? It means if there’s a lever you can use to pique your prospects’ interest right away, such as how your AI agent is better than your competitors, you should use it. Also, now you know you’re being compared; if your AI agent isn’t up to snuff, it’s time to be making some improvements.
What makes an AI agent "better" in buyers' eyes?
The G2 report doesn't define "better" in one succinct sentence, but buyers are specific about what they value.
It connects to the tools they already use. 72% say a strong ecosystem of connectors, actions, skills, or marketplace offerings is very important or a must-have. Buyers want agents, including other vendors' agents, to be able to do work inside your product. Thin APIs and integrations shut them out.
It proves how it handles mistakes. The most common request from buyers is evidence of how an agent handles errors and edge cases (55%). Only 53% trust agents to take fully autonomous actions, even in low-risk workflows. 48% prefer agents with guardrails, and only 7% want total autonomy.
It needs less babysitting. 31% say employees spend 6 or more hours a week overseeing agents. 45% say time spent correcting agent mistakes eats more than a quarter of the productivity gains. (I don’t know about you, but these stats disturb me.)
Its costs are predictable. 46% report higher-than-expected operating costs. Buyers want real-time usage dashboards, monthly spend caps, and cost-per-outcome reporting.
It's secure and governed. 36% of companies reported an agent-related security incident in the past year. Buyers want to know what an agent is allowed to do, who monitors it, and what happens with exceptions.
How should software companies price AI agents?
Buyers are moving away from seats. Only 9% consider per-user or per-seat pricing the fairest model for agents, while 57% prefer pay-as-you-go. If your agents are priced per seat, expect that to come up at renewal. Pair usage-based pricing with the spend controls buyers ask for, such as caps and usage dashboards.
What should product teams do?
Map your agent's capabilities against your top competitors’ and know where you win.
Invest in connectors, APIs, and actions so agents can work across the tools your customers use.
Document how your agents handle errors and edge cases, and make that proof easy to share.
Build in guardrails, human review options, and usage controls.
What should sales teams do?
List your 20 largest renewals in the next 12 months. For each one, ask the account owner whether the customer is testing alternatives and what results they've measured with your product.
Find out when your competitors' biggest customers renew, and reach them before that date.
Lead with a pilot, measured results, and pricing that fits how they want to pay for agents.
What does this mean for services firms?
If you sell services rather than software, read this as a signal about your clients' expectations. Buyers who are getting results from AI agents will expect AI-driven efficiency from their partners too, and pricing to match.
Your 60-second move
List your 20 largest renewals in the next 12 months. For each one, ask: Is this customer testing alternatives? What results have they measured with our product? Then run the same exercise on your competitors' top accounts.
Frequently asked questions
How many B2B buyers bought AI agent software in 2026?
86% of B2B decision-makers in G2's survey bought AI agent software or services in the past year, up from 69% in 2025.
What percentage of buyers would switch vendors for better AI agents?
30% would consider switching to a vendor with stronger agent capabilities, and another 44% would test an alternative and reconsider at renewal, for a total of 74%.
What do buyers value most in an AI agent?
Integrations rank highest: 72% say a strong ecosystem of connectors, actions, skills, or marketplace offerings is very important or a must-have. Buyers also want proof of error handling, guardrails, less oversight, and predictable costs.
What pricing model do buyers prefer for AI agents?
57% prefer pay-as-you-go pricing. Only 9% consider per-seat pricing the fairest model.
Sources
G2, 2026 AI Agents Insight Report, survey of 1,019 B2B decision-makers, fielded July 2026.
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About the author: Juli Anne Patty is a fractional CMO with more than 20 years of experience in B2B SaaS, cybersecurity, and technology marketing. She writes The 60-Second CMO, a weekly tip for marketing leaders.
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