Responsive, the global leader in AI-powered Strategic Response Management (SRM) software, in partnership with the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP), today released its 2025 State of Strategic Response Management Report. The latest research indicates that high-performing B2B organizations are leveraging artificial intelligence as a strategic growth catalyst, rather than merely a tool for productivity.
The research, which surveyed 726 global revenue leaders and practitioners, identified a widening gap between Leaders and Novices. AI usage was a clear differentiator: more than half of AI adopters report increasing headcount, compared to just 27% of companies not using AI, a data point that challenges fears around AI-driven job loss.
High-performing organizations are going beyond basic AI investment. They’re using it strategically to drive competitive advantage. Instead of confining AI to routine task automation, Leaders are applying it to more sophisticated areas, such as decision-making and workflow orchestration. While many organizations remain focused on tactical AI implementations, the data reveals that Leaders are unlocking greater value through a more strategic and integrated approach across the entire pursuit lifecycle.
Key findings include:
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B2B buyers expect more from sellers than ever before.
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More than 75% of organizations say buyers have tighter budgets, expect faster response times, and require a higher degree of personalization – raising the bar for response speed, customization, and accuracy.
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High-growth teams are betting on tech and doubling down on people.
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77% of Leaders report investing in tech, and 69% say they are also investing in staffing, balancing investments in AI and automation with investment in human resources. Novices are less than half as likely to be growing headcount.
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Companies that are actively using AI are significantly more likely to be growing their teams. Among AI adopters, more than half report increasing staffing year over year, compared to just 27% of companies not using AI.
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AI is increasingly the difference between growth and stagnation.
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While many organizations use AI to accelerate execution, the highest-performing teams go further, applying AI not just to do the work, but to guide it. Leaders are more than twice as likely as Novices to use AI for orchestrating workflows and assignments (41% vs 17%), surfacing insights from win/loss data (37% vs. 18%), and making go/no-go decisions (37% vs. 26%) – speaking to a shift from task automation to decision intelligence.
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More than half (54%) of organizations are either trialing or have fully deployed AI within SRM workflows (i.e. RFPs, security questionnaires, due diligence questionnaires, and more). Adoption climbs even higher in certain segments: 72% of large enterprises; 67% of organizations answering more than 10 RFPs per month; and 64% of technology companies. Additionally, 62% of companies report revenue tied to strategic responses increased YoY.
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As AI agents are gaining traction, leading organizations are 6x more likely to have fully deployed AI agents and 3x more likely to use AI across revenue functions. But a significant portion of the market remains hesitant on AI adoption, with more than 10% of organizations and up to 36% of smaller businesses saying they’re not using AI agents and have no plans to start within the next year.
“As the bid and proposal profession evolves, understanding the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping our work is more important than ever,” said Julia Duke, COO of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals. “This survey provides meaningful insights into the strategies and practices that are helping teams succeed today. APMP is proud to support research that advances the knowledge and growth of bid and proposal management professionals globally.”
