AI in B2B Marketing: Balancing Efficiency and Trust

The use of AI in marketing has quickly shifted from hype to everyday practice. Research shows that 92% of marketers now use AI to launch campaigns faster, personalize more effectively, and automate repetitive tasks. The promise is clear: more efficiency, higher customer engagement, and more room for creativity.

But there’s a flip side to this AI revolution. While companies are enthusiastically investing, customer distrust is growing. Globally, 63% of consumers say they don’t trust AI with their personal data – a sharp increase compared to last year.

“Success in AI marketing isn’t about more automation, but about balancing efficiency and trust.”

The personalization gap

Despite all the smart algorithms, many people experience personalization as falling short:

40% of consumers feel that brands don’t truly understand them (up from 25% last year).
60% of marketing emails are perceived as irrelevant.

For B2B marketing, this is an important signal. Business decision-makers also expect valuable, contextual interactions. If AI usage does not align with their challenges, a gap arises between the marketer’s intentions and the customer’s experience.

Trust as the key to success

The introduction of the European AI Act forces organizations to be more mindful and transparent with AI. This is not a limitation, but an opportunity. By being clear about why data is collected, and by visibly delivering value with that data, trust can grow.

For B2B organizations, this means:

Relevance over volume – fewer campaigns that truly match customer needs rather than generic AI-generated content.
Transparency in data usage – explain which data is used and how it benefits the customer.
AI as a creativity booster – use AI to generate insights, not to automate every interaction.

Application in your markets

Especially in the industries we serve – where processes are often complex and data plays a central role – AI marketing offers both major opportunities and risks:

Telecom & Connectivity: AI can predict churn and proactively provide personalized offers, driving contract renewals.
Logistics & Distribution: AI can forecast supply chain trends and make communication to customers more personal, for example about delivery times or optimizations./li>
Energy, Oil & Gas: in a market where transparency is crucial, AI can make complex data (such as consumption models or price forecasts) more understandable and personalized.
Production & Manufacturing: AI-driven insights can help marketing focus on predictive maintenance, efficiency improvements, and sustainability initiatives – topics that truly resonate with customers.

Across all these industries, one principle stands out: AI must deliver value on a human level. Not more automation for automation’s sake, but smart use that builds trust and strengthens relationships.

Conclusion

AI in marketing is here to stay. But success doesn’t come from ever more automation. It lies in the balance between efficiency and trust. For B2B software organizations, this means:

Focus on real customer value.
Use AI as a tool, not a replacement.
Be radically transparent about data usage.

The lesson is simple: technology is not the problem – how we apply it is. Companies that combine AI with human relevance will win in the new marketing era.

Source: Artificial Intelligence News – “Marketing AI boom faces crisis of consumer trust” (Ryan Daws, augustus 2025), based on research by SAP Emarsys.

Ricardo Hagens - Auteur

Ricardo Hagens is Marketing Manager at Infodation with over 20 years of experience in design, UX/UI, and development. He focuses on brand strategy, data-driven campaigns, and sustainable growth.

Let’s connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardohagens/