We are living in an age of AI in which information is abundant but attention is scarce. For sales leaders, this paradox is both the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity of our time.
Gerhard Gschwandtner, CEO of Selling Power, believes the role of the modern seller has never been more critical. In a recent fireside chat, he shared how salespeople can rise above the noise and reclaim the art of human persuasion in a world increasingly mediated by AI.
Poverty of Attention, Wealth of Confusion
Herbert Simon, Nobel Prize–winning economist, once warned: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” That prediction has become today’s reality. Buyers walk into meetings armed with ChatGPT research, competitive matrices, and data overload.
Gschwandtner paints the picture vividly: “It’s like trying to play a single violin in Times Square—you’ll be drowned out unless your tune is piercing and unforgettable.”
The solution, he argues, is sensemaking: simplifying decisions, reducing buyer effort, and restoring confidence. Harvard Business Review calls it “the new sales imperative.”
The more AI democratizes information, the more valuable human judgment becomes. That should be the focus of sales training: to teach sellers to make their value proposition concise, authentic, and memorable.
Gschwandtner added, “You don’t shout louder, you decode better.”
The Brooks Group’s IMPACT Selling® sales process trains sellers to position themselves as strategic advisors and deliver solutions that meet customers’ wants and needs. They don’t overwhelm buyers with an avalanche of features but instead build strategic relationships and sell on value.
Learn how AI is revolutionizing sales coaching and reinforcement.
Authenticity in the Age of AI: Polyester or Partner?
Gschwandtner is candid about the double-edged sword of AI. “Used poorly, it’s like polyester clothing—it looks sharp, it’s cheap, but it has no warmth, and it’s a fire hazard.”
In the 1950s, trust was built face to face; handwritten note cards were the original CRM. Fast-forward to today, and AI can blast 100,000 prospects before lunch, fooling people into believing they’re speaking with a human. That efficiency without personalization is dangerous.
“When sellers rely too heavily on AI tools for sales, they start sounding like GPS voices—perfectly accurate, but soulless. And nobody trusts a GPS to sell them a vision,” said Gschwandtner.
Einstein’s warning echoes here: “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” Yet Gschwandtner doesn’t dismiss AI. He sees it as a tool to free sellers from the mundane so they can focus on what matters: moments of trust, understanding, and human connection.
Competing with Buyer Intelligence
With 9 out of 10 buyers already using generative AI in their journey, salespeople risk becoming redundant if they merely echo what the buyer already knows.
Gschwandtner shared a striking story: A buyer once walked into a meeting with a 20-page AI-generated competitive analysis. The rep didn’t panic. Instead, he leaned in: “This is impressive research. But here are three risks AI couldn’t see—insights from the JPMorgan breach that never made headlines.” That pivot turned the meeting—and won the deal.
“The lesson,” Gschwandtner said, “is: Don’t compete with AI on volume. Compete with it on wisdom.”
Trust as the Last Mile
Some analysts predict the rise of AI spells doom for salespeople. Gschwandtner disagrees. He points to the travel industry. When Expedia launched, many predicted the death of travel agents. Yet luxury travel advisors are thriving, because trust is more valuable when stakes are higher.
“The same is true in sales,” he explained. “Hybrid selling is like flying a jet on autopilot. The machine can keep altitude, but you still need a skilled pilot to land safely.”
That trust is especially critical in today’s environment of deepfakes and synthetic voices. When anyone can fake anything, authenticity becomes premium currency.
“Salespeople are the last mile of trust,” Gschwandtner said. “AI can analyze data, but only humans can inspire action. AI can simulate conversation, but only humans can forge relationships.”
The Brooks Group’s Blueprint
Bill Brooks said sales success rests on two pillars: trust and value.
Gschwandtner sees The Brooks Group as a builder of bridges over what he calls “the river of incompetence”—taking sellers from mediocrity to excellence.
“In this age of abundance of information, we suffer poverty of attention, retention, and trust,” Gschwandtner concluded. “Don’t just train salespeople—preserve the art of persuasion and authenticity in an age of artificial intelligence.”
In a time when AI threatens to flatten human connection into algorithms, that mission has never been more urgent.
Visit our site to learn more about sales training programs that give sellers confidence and essential skills to build stronger relationships in the age of AI.
