What’s Next for Sales Enablement? Five Predictions for 2026
By Michelle Davidson, Content Marketing Manager
Throughout 2025, AI went from “nice to have” to “must-have” for enablement teams. In fact, Allego’s AI in Enablement research found that 100% of enablement leaders now use generative AI to drive performance. Suddenly, the sales landscape was flipped on its head.
For sales leaders, the shift was clear. Stop piling on tools and start unifying them. Make learning part of the flow of work. And let AI carry more of the load, freeing human coaches to do what only they can do.
Looking ahead to sales enablement in 2026, two big ideas are taking shape:
- Intelligent consolidation: Organizations are seeking one system where content, coaching, data, and AI work as one, not a patchwork of apps.
- Buyer and seller experience at the forefront: Even in an AI-powered world, people still buy from people, and the highest-performing teams will be the ones who bring that human spark.
The Evolution of Sales Enablement
As AI surged through enablement in 2025, three shifts stood out:
1. Consolidation
Instead of managing a dozen point solutions, organizations moved toward platforms built from the ground up for AI and enablement. The result? Fewer tool hand-offs, less integration friction, and a single source of truth for coaching, content, conversation intelligence, and more.
2. Personalization
What used to take hours of manual work — tailoring content, modifying outreach, optimizing talk tracks — became a scalable reality. AI acted as a silent partner, generating tailored content at scale, writing messages, suggesting insights, and helping reps speak to each buyer as if they were the only one.
3. Just-in-Time Learning
Just-in-time learning, sometimes referred to as learning in the flow of work and agile learning, has been part of Allego’s DNA for years. But 2025 is the year it truly scaled thanks to AI, and sales teams became better able to incorporate it into their daily routines. Instead of digging through folders or sitting through all-day workshops, sellers now get:
- One-click playbook retrieval
- Real-time coaching right in the moment
- Auto-generated conversation summaries with next steps
- Microlearning surfaced exactly when (and where) they need it
Given how much has already shifted, the question now isn’t whether AI will shape enablement, but how far it will go in 2026.
Given how much has already shifted, the question now isn’t whether AI will shape enablement, but how far it will go in 2026.
5 Predictions for Sales Enablement in 2026
As sales teams brace for another year of rapid change, one thing is clear: Enablement leaders will need programs that are nimble, AI-forward, and built for a landscape that never stops shifting. Here’s where sales enablement is heading in 2026, based on insights shared by Allego President and co-founder Mark Magnacca and Corporate Visions Chief Strategy Officer Tim Riesterer during their recent webinar.
1. Consolidation Evolves into Intelligent Convergence
During the webinar, Magnacca described the very real “swivel chair” problem. That’s the fatigue and inefficiency that comes from toggling between LMS tools, video apps, conversation intelligence, email platforms, and multiple coaching solutions. Even when the tools connect, sellers still shoulder the burden of switching between them.
In 2026, consolidation won’t just mean reducing the number of tools. It will mean AI-orchestrated convergence. Platforms will unify content, coaching, workflows, and insights inside a single intelligent environment.
2. Personalization Becomes Predictive Enablement
Personalization is no longer a perk, Magnacca said, it’s expected. People want the same intuitive, personalized experience at work that they get from Amazon or Netflix. For sellers, that means onboarding, coaching, and workflows that adapt to them.
But most personalization today is still reactive. Sellers don’t get tailored support or training until an assessment reveals a gap or a call or deal goes sideways.
“People want the same personalization at work that they get from Amazon or Netflix.” — Mark Magnacca, President, Co-founder, Allego
In 2026, personalization will evolve into predictive enablement, where AI:
- Anticipates gaps before sellers feel them
- Surfaces guidance in real time
- Personalizes learning based on live performance signals
It’s the natural next step in just-in-time learning, moving from “tell me when I ask” to “support me before I need to ask.”.
3. Continuous Learning Becomes a Pillar of Sales Enablement in 2026
During the webinar, Magnacca emphasized the industry shift toward what he calls “walk-in working.” That’s the idea that sellers should show up on day one ready to perform, not waiting days for access or training.
This shift mirrors the broader move away from one-and-done training. Enablement leaders know daylong seminars and static courses don’t drive lasting behavior change.
So, in 2026, learning becomes always-on development with:
- Microlearning woven into daily workflows
- Real-time coaching delivered during live selling moments
- Instant access to playbooks
- Contextual refreshers served by AI
In this environment, learning stops being an event and becomes a rhythm.
4. AI Emerges as the Coach, Certifier, and Catalyst for Human Growth
Riesterer predicts that AI will evolve from assistant to assessor. As such, it will be capable of evaluating seller readiness through performative simulations, scenario-based assessments, and ACT-style certification models.
This shift has already begun with tools such as AI Role Play and Coaching, and neuroscience research backs up its effectiveness. According to Allego’s AI vs. Human Coaching study, sellers who received AI feedback remembered 50% more after 48 hours compared with those who received human-only coaching. AI’s structured, written feedback improves memory encoding and consistency.
Real-world examples validate this. Consider Jolie Rojik, a 22-year-old sales development representative that Allego hired earlier this year. She closed her first deal in just 30 days after practicing with AI simulations.
While human coaching still wins emotionally — providing motivation, trust, and well-being — AI drives retention. And in 2026, the best enablement programs will use both.
5. Human Experience Becomes the Ultimate Differentiator
Sharing the results from a massive 150,000-deal win-loss analysis, Riesterer revealed that buyer experiences — not product knowledge — were the strongest predictors of wins.
He described two levels of modern selling:
- Run the engagement: scheduling, workflows, research, outbound — the mechanics AI will automate everywhere
- Create the experience: aligning solutions to needs, articulating value, building insight, guiding decisions
The second category is where humans shine, he said, and where deals are won.
“Most of the time when you lose, it is not due to your price or your product. It’s because you didn’t do one or more of these [experience-based competencies] well.” — Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy Officer, Corporate Visions
“Most of the time when you lose, it is not due to your price or your product,” Riesterer said. “It’s because you didn’t do one or more of these [experience-based competencies] well.”
So, when everyone automates the same mechanics, the experience becomes the only true differentiator. Your competitive edge is the seller.
What’s Next? 2026 Sales Enablement Action Plan
To make the most of both AI and human expertise in 2026, here are four practical steps every enablement team should take, inspired by the insights Magnacca and Riesterer shared and Allego’s latest neuroscience research.
1. Build an AI-Assisted Enablement Core
Scattered systems drain attention and momentum. In 2026, the real gains will come from working inside a single, AI-native enablement environment. This gives you one place where learning, coaching, content, and performance data all live together.
A unified system:
- Reduces tool switching
- Strengthens focus
- Gives AI the complete view it needs to deliver accurate, real-time recommendations
- Reduces cost
The goal isn’t to add more AI. It’s to give AI a single home where it can work.
2. Shift from Training Events to Continuous, Contextual Learning
Quarterly workshops can’t keep pace with the speed of modern selling. Enablement leaders already know this, and AI makes the shift to continuous learning both possible and scalable.
In 2026, top teams will rely on:
- Microlearning nudges
- Real-time coaching inside calls
- Instant access to examples and playbooks
- Adaptive learning paths tailored to each seller
Learning won’t be scheduled. It will be embedded. It will be personalized, relevant, and delivered in the flow of work.
3. Redefine Human Differentiation Through Experience Design
As Riesterer emphasized in the webinar, AI will increasingly take on the mechanics of selling: scheduling, prep, analysis, and even personalization. That means the real competitive edge moves squarely to the human side of the equation: the seller who creates an experience.
That being the case, enablement teams should design programs that build:
- Empathy
- Storytelling skills
- Value articulation
- Deeper discovery habits
- Confidence in complex buyer conversations
Riesterer said it plainly, “The last bastion of differentiation is still going to be the seller creating the experience for their customers.”
“The last bastion of differentiation is still going to be the seller creating the experience for their customers.” — Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy Officer, Corporate Visions
4. Redesign Sales Coaching Around the Science of Learning
Sales coaching can’t rely on instinct anymore, not when neuroscience has given us a clearer picture of how sellers truly learn.
Allego’s AI vs. Human Coaching research, conducted in partnership with Dr. Carmen Simon, revealed two key things:
- AI feedback improves long-term recall by 50%.
- Human coaching boosts emotional alignment, motivation, and well-being.
To build coaching programs that stick in 2026, Simon suggests you:
- Use AI for structured, consistent, written feedback that drives memory and precision.
- Use human coaches to build trust, motivation, and resilience.
- Combine both — written AI summaries paired with live manager debriefs.
- Add surprise and novelty to spark “aha” moments that increase attention and retention.
- Let sellers customize AI avatars or tones to reduce distraction and improve engagement.
The science is clear: AI sharpens what sellers remember, while humans strengthen why they care.
Sales Enablement in 2026: The Year of Thoughtful AI + Human Collaboration
Sales enablement has always evolved. It’s gone from efficiency to revenue impact, to buyer-first strategies. Now, a new shift is underway.
2026 will be defined by a single, powerful question: How do we let intelligent systems elevate human potential, not replace it?
The answer lies in the combination. Apply AI for scale, consistency, memory, and in-the-moment guidance. And tap the power of humans for connection, judgment, storytelling, and strategic insight.
Organizations that blend those strengths intentionally, thoughtfully, and with the seller at the center will be the ones that win in 2026.
About the Author: Michelle Davidson is a content marketing manager at Allego, where she partners with sales and enablement teams to create content that helps reps engage customers and prospects in meaningful conversations.
