Gartner’s new Revenue Action Orchestration (RAO) category marks the end of siloed sales tools. As AI moves from novelty to impact, revenue leaders must decide if their tech stack is a unified engine for growth or a fragmented barrier to productivity.
Gartner has officially introduced Revenue Action Orchestration (RAO) into its Magic Quadrant framework. This new category recognises a major shift in the industry: the convergence of previously siloed sales technologies into unified, AI-driven platforms. In its inaugural report, Gartner named Clari a Leader and Salesloft a Visionary, signalling a pivotal moment for sales organisations struggling to translate AI hype into measurable revenue.
The Data-Driven Sales Culture: Why RAO Matters
The RAO category acknowledges that the boundaries between sales engagement, revenue intelligence, and sales force automation are dissolving. Modern revenue teams no longer want disconnected point solutions; they require unified platforms that can capture data and orchestrate intelligent actions.
According to Gartner, this transition is about more than just software, it is about fostering a “data-driven sales culture.” The focus has shifted toward boosting activity levels and increasing revenue per seller through workflows that understand the full revenue context.
Leadership in Action: Clari and Salesloft
The recognition of Clari as a Leader reflects the significant results achieved by global organisations using its AI-powered data foundation. Clari reported that its customers have achieved:
- 398% ROI in under six months.
- 2x higher win rates.
- 20% higher conversion in cross-sell and upsell opportunities.
Salesloft, positioned as a Visionary, was noted for its strength in automating personalised outreach and cadence management at scale. By translating buyer signals into prioritised next steps, it provides the practical outcomes that matter in day-to-day selling.
The Power of Convergence
The timing of Gartner’s new category coincides with the merger between Clari and Salesloft. This creates the largest Revenue AI company in the industry, with a comprehensive dataset spanning trillions in revenue under management.
“AI and data are converging to turn every rep into the CRO of their own territory,” said Steve Cox, CEO of Clari + Salesloft. This unified approach is essential for organisations moving beyond AI experimentation toward deployment at scale.
What This Means for Revenue Leaders
For those selling professional services and managing complex sales cycles, this shift signals three critical changes:
- The End of the Fragmented Stack: Managing 15+ disconnected tools is no longer viable. Leaders should evaluate if their current architecture can deliver the unified data that modern AI requires.
- Predictability Over Novelty: Revenue is becoming more predictable. Platforms that offer real-time visibility into deals allow managers to save hours every week by knowing exactly where to focus efforts.
- Efficiency as a Differentiator: Tools such as Salesloft and Clari are helping teams stay organised and preventing “forgotten touches.” In a competitive market, the visibility into team activity and results is a major strategic advantage
