The B2A era has already begun, and companies are still talking to the wrong audience

For years, B2B marketing operated under a relatively predictable logic: brands talking to people, competing for attention, building authority and, in the best-case scenario, generating demand. But this dynamic has just changed, and quietly.

The rise of artificial intelligence agents has inaugurated a new layer in market relationships: the era of B2A, or Business to Agent. This is not just about automation or operational efficiency gains. We are talking about systems that begin to intermediate decisions, filter information, recommend suppliers and, in many cases, decide even before a human enters the scene.

This changes everything.

If before the challenge was to be relevant to those who decide, now it is necessary to be understood, interpreted and prioritized by those who recommend: the algorithms. And this requires a deep review of marketing and sales strategies, especially in the B2B universe, where the decision cycle is more complex.

Today, AI agents already actively participate in the buying journey. They summarize research, compare solutions, analyze digital reputation and indicate paths based on objective criteria. In this scenario, having a good pitch is no longer enough. It is necessary to have a structured, consistent and, above all, machine-readable digital presence.

This starts with something basic, but neglected by many companies: data organization. Confusing websites, generic content, outdated information, in addition to a lack of clarity, hinder not only the human experience, but also interpretation by AI systems. If the algorithm does not understand what you do or does not find reliable evidence, you simply cease to exist in the new logic of recommendation.

Another critical point is digital authority. For a long time, authority was associated with human perception: branding, reputation, presence at events. Now, it also passes through objective signals: content consistency, qualified mentions, reviews, response time and coherence of information across different channels. AI agents do not “believe” in brands; they validate data and present facts.

This directly impacts demand generation. The traditional funnel, based on attraction, nurturing and conversion, begins to be redesigned. Part of this process becomes mediated by systems that reach the lead already with a pre-analysis done. This shortens cycles, increases the demand for clarity of the offer and reduces space for superficial approaches, requiring a transformation of the commercial relationship.

This movement is already beginning to be reflected in the job market. Recent analyses by the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicate that artificial intelligence does not necessarily replace functions, but reconfigures tasks within occupations, expanding the level of exposure to technology in different sectors. The impact, therefore, is not only on the elimination of positions, but on the transformation of work as a whole, requiring new skills and accelerating the need for adaptation by companies and professionals.

In Brazil, this transformation tends to be even more challenging. Although the country appears among the global leaders in automation and AI adoption, many companies still coexist with legacy systems, fragmented processes and low digital maturity. In practice, this reveals a paradox: Brazil advances quickly in AI adoption, but is still slow in the ability to transform technology into business value. This mismatch tends to become one of the main factors of competitive differentiation in the coming years.

The result could be a new market division. On one side, companies and professionals who see artificial intelligence as a business strategy and invest in governance, integration, training and value generation. On the other, organizations that continue to treat AI only as a point tool, without reviewing processes, culture or operational model.

Some B2B sectors tend to get ahead in this race. Technology, financial services, healthcare and industries with a high level of digitalization already have a more structured base to incorporate AI agents into their operations. But the opportunity is not restricted to these segments; it is available to any company willing to reorganize its way of communicating, selling and positioning itself.

The big change, in the end, is one of perspective.

We are no longer just competing for attention. We are competing for interpretation.

And, in the B2A era, the winner is the one who manages to be understood first by machines, then by people.

*Victor Paiva is the founder of HIP, an agency specialized in storytelling and B2B marketing with international operations, and organizer of TEDxFortaleza.