The Rise of Agentic AI in Procurement: What Sales Engineers Should Know

In a recent article published in Construction Dive, Globality CTO Keith McFarlane outlined a bold vision: that agentic AI, an autonomous, goal-directed artificial intelligence, could mark a “golden age” for procurement. He argues that because procurement is inherently complex, data-heavy, and time-sensitive, it’s an ideal candidate for automation via AI agents capable of handling supplier selection, proposal evaluation, and even negotiation.

That sounds promising for CFOs and purchasing teams. But what does it mean for Sales Engineers and Account Executives, the people sitting on the other side of the procurement table? As this technology spreads, how we sell, and to whom, may be in for a radical shift.

Let’s dig into what agentic AI really is, how it’s being used in procurement, and what it could mean for your SE toolkit.

What Is Agentic AI?

Unlike traditional bots or workflow automation tools, agentic AI isn’t just reactive; it actively pursues goals, makes decisions, learns from its environment, and adapts. These systems can execute complex business tasks autonomously and even communicate with users or other systems to get results.

Keith McFarlane points out that procurement is a perfect use case because no team has the bandwidth to engage deeply with every vendor on every deal. AI agents, by contrast, can sift through proposals, benchmark vendors, evaluate compliance, and manage risk at scale and with speed.

McFarlane cites research showing that AI-driven sourcing already delivers 20% cost savings. Other reports echo the shift: a 2025 Hackett Group study found that two-thirds of procurement executives expect AI to significantly reshape their operations within five years.

So… Will You Be Selling to Robots?

Possibly, at least at first. SEs may find themselves negotiating not with a procurement manager, but with a bot.

That’s not science fiction. Walmart already uses AI bots from Pactum to negotiate with some of its suppliers. The bot haggles over terms like price and delivery timeline. What’s surprising? Around 75% of vendors preferred it—the process was faster, more transparent, and skipped the posturing and politics that sometimes bog down negotiations.

For SEs and AEs, that means the buyer’s first line of contact may be a system, not a person. You’ll need to communicate with precision, provide structured data, and be ready for fast, iterative exchanges. No fluff. No ambiguity. And definitely no “let’s jump on a call to discuss”, not unless the algorithm flags it for escalation.

This shift demands a new skill set:

• Clear formatting so an AI can parse your proposal.
• Data-backed justification for every recommendation.
• Preparedness for rapid back-and-forth, possibly with minimal human oversight.

That doesn’t mean the human relationship is gone. It just happens later. Think of it this way: if your proposal makes it through the algorithm’s filters, the humans may already be on your side, ready to discuss strategic alignment or long-term fit.

How Buyers Might Change

Agentic AI won’t just alter how proposals are scored it will reshape procurement departments themselves.

• Leaner teams: AI will do the heavy lifting on vendor comparisons and compliance checking. That could mean fewer human touchpoints throughout the buying process.
• Faster cycles: Procurement teams using AI can issue, review, and close RFPs in days, not weeks.
• More structured demands: Expect stricter formats and tighter scoring criteria. The flexibility of a “friendly chat with procurement” may disappear.

Sales Engineers should expect more competition, too. AI sourcing platforms can invite dozens of vendors into a bid, ones that human buyers might never have found. If your solution isn’t tightly aligned to the RFP criteria, you might be eliminated before a person ever sees your name.

The bottom line? If you want to stay in the game:

• Quantify everything. ROI, uptime, feature parity. Be ready to back up your claims.
• Package your value in a way that a machine (and a human) can grasp quickly.
• Expect tighter timelines and a need for early coordination within your team to meet accelerated response cycles.

Will AI Speed Things Up, or Just Make It More Complex?

It’s a fair question. Agentic AI could shorten deal cycles by automating proposal scoring, negotiating terms, and triggering approvals without delay. That’s a win for sales teams that hate long stalls.

But complexity comes in other forms:

• Rigid compliance: You may be forced into spreadsheets and forms that strip away nuance.
• Algorithmic “blind spots”: A great feature or differentiator might get ignored if it doesn’t fit the scoring logic.
• Less forgiveness: AI agents won’t “let things slide.” A late bid, a missing data point—those could cost you the deal.

In other words, selling becomes more like playing a game where the rules are coded and enforced automatically. You either comply and perform, or you're out.

What Should SEs Do to Stay Ahead?

Here’s how to prepare for this new environment:

Conclusion: It’s a New Game. Time to Learn the Rules

If agentic AI is transforming procurement, it’s going to transform selling too. SEs and AEs won’t be replaced, but they will need to evolve. That means working smarter, being data-savvy, and staying human where it counts.

The more we understand how AI is changing the buying side, the better we can adapt our selling side. Consider bringing these discussions into your next team meeting or sharing your own experiences with AI-led RFPs in communities like NAASE.

The robots may be negotiating the first round, but it’s still our job to close the deal.