European B2B buyers want AI, but only if it removes friction

European business buyers are becoming more receptive to AI in procurement and payments, yet the latest research from TreviPay suggests that enthusiasm alone will not determine supplier loyalty.

European B2B buyers want AI

What matters is whether technology genuinely reduces friction in the buying journey, particularly in invoicing, onboarding and payment administration.

The study, based on responses from 550 B2B buyers across the UK and key European markets, indicates that almost eight in ten businesses now use AI often or consistently in purchasing and payments processes.

That is a notable sign of how quickly AI has moved from experimental tool to operational feature in business commerce. However, adoption remains uneven, and the practical use cases buyers value most are strikingly functional rather than futuristic.

Across the region, respondents see AI as most useful in improving decision-making through better data insight, strengthening fraud prevention and reducing manual tasks.

In markets such as France and Germany, where compliance requirements and operational scrutiny are particularly pronounced, the technology is viewed more cautiously.

There, the appeal of AI is closely tied to solving longstanding invoice management problems, including tracking invoice status and automatically matching invoices to purchase orders.

Pay by invoice remains central to B2B commerce

For all the attention on digital transformation, traditional payment expectations remain deeply embedded in European B2B trade.

Nearly half of buyers surveyed said the availability of pay by invoice influences where they place repeat business.

That finding underlines an important truth for suppliers seeking growth in 2026: innovation matters, but so does meeting the payment habits businesses already rely upon.

Pay by invoice continues to hold a particularly strong position across Europe because it aligns with how many companies manage working capital, approvals and internal controls.

Yet TreviPay’s findings also show that preferences vary sharply by country and business size. Trade credit is especially prominent in the UK and Germany, while Spanish businesses place greater emphasis on invoice customisation and flexible document handling.

Friction remains the real competitive threat

The more revealing message in the research is that many B2B buying journeys are still undermined by basic operational failings.

Buyers continue to report incorrect invoices, inconsistent formats, weak ERP integration and delays in approval workflows.

These are not marginal irritants; they are structural pain points that can influence whether a supplier retains business.

The intensity of those frustrations also differs markedly by market.

In Germany, more than three quarters of buyers reported issues with payment options, compared with a far lower share in Spain.

Larger enterprises tend to prioritise ERP integration and purchasing controls, while mid-sized firms place greater value on speed and flexibility.

In the UK, fast onboarding appears to be a particularly powerful competitive differentiator.

For suppliers, the lesson is clear. AI may shape the next phase of B2B payments, but loyalty will still be won by those that make invoicing, onboarding and payment execution simpler, faster and more reliable.

Access the complete EMEA market research report for additional data here.