In today’s high-stakes B2B battlefield, speed, clarity, and precision aren’t just nice to have—they’re non-negotiable. And in the UK and Europe, sales and proposal teams are racing to meet those expectations with help from AI.
Responsive, a leader in Strategic Response Management (SRM) software, has teamed up with the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) to release a new market report: Winning Business in the Age of AI: UK & European Market Trends. Based on a sweeping survey of revenue leaders and practitioners, the findings highlight a rapidly evolving go-to-market landscape where bid and proposal teams are stepping into the strategic spotlight—and AI is the accelerant.
The big takeaway? AI isn’t hype anymore. It’s here, it’s helping, and it’s quietly redefining how B2B organizations pursue and win business.
Bid Teams Are Becoming Revenue Architects
Bid and proposal professionals have long operated behind the curtain, responding to RFPs, RFIs, and DDQs under high pressure. But that’s changing fast. According to the report, 86% of organizations now view these teams as direct contributors to revenue, while 79% see them as strategic business partners.
The UK in particular is leading the charge:
- 79% of UK bid teams are well-resourced, compared to just 60% across the EU.
- 86% of UK bid professionals report high job satisfaction, more than 30 points higher than their continental peers.
- Over half of UK organizations increased headcount for bid teams in the last year—outpacing their EU counterparts by more than 20 points.
This rise in recognition reflects a broader shift: bid teams are no longer reactive responders—they’re turning into architects of competitive advantage.
AI Is the New Teammate
One thing driving this shift? AI. More than half of all organizations are either piloting or planning AI deployments across revenue functions. The trend is clear: AI agents are starting to coordinate workflows, surface critical knowledge, and accelerate the response process.
As Daniel Tscharner of Swisscom put it, “We’re starting to see what’s possible when knowledge is no longer trapped in silos and AI agents help coordinate work across the entire pursuit. The potential to shift how we qualify, collaborate, and win is enormous.”
However, it’s not a headlong rush—only 21% have fully deployed AI, and 27% are currently testing agents. This deliberate pace signals that organizations are prioritizing integration over gimmickry. They want AI that augments workflows, not disrupts them.
Knowledge is Power—and a Bottleneck
But there’s a catch. The full promise of AI in bid management hinges on one critical ingredient: access to quality knowledge. And that’s still a work in progress.
Only 34% of organizations have implemented a centralized hub of reusable content, and just 36% report broad access to institutional knowledge. Without these foundations, AI can’t deliver the real-time insights or content precision needed to win deals.
Ganesh Shankar, CEO of Responsive, noted, “It’s not about AI for AI’s sake. The winners are those aligning people, process, and tech to drive smarter growth. AI is forcing a rethink of roles, workflows, and how we use knowledge as a strategic asset.”
B2B Buyers Have the Upper Hand
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting from the other side of the table. Four in five organizations report increased pressure from more autonomous, better-informed buyers. In the UK, 39% say greater buyer autonomy is already having a significant impact on deal outcomes.
As buyers delay engagement and do more self-guided research, vendors get fewer chances to stand out. The result: response teams must be sharper, faster, and better coordinated than ever. AI offers an edge—but only if teams are equipped to use it.
AI Is Not Optional—It’s Inevitable
There’s a growing consensus that the traditional way of responding to bids is on borrowed time. 71% of respondents agree that the role of bid and proposal professionals needs to evolve in response to AI.
The market is signaling a clear shift: smart organizations are investing in SRM platforms, enabling access to real-time knowledge, and deploying AI agents to amplify—not replace—human expertise. They’re embracing AI not as a threat, but as a force multiplier.
And while the UK is slightly ahead of the EU in this transformation—with higher tech spend (78% vs. 60%) and stronger resource allocation—it’s clear that across the region, the AI wave is building.
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