AI SDR vs AI BDRs vs AI Sales Reps: What’s the Difference?

Artificial intelligence has changed the way companies and teams approach sales. From finding prospects to pushing leads to demo, AI sales tools are capable of automating many of the tasks that consume a team’s precious time.

And they’re getting results. 83% of sales teams that used AI in the past year saw revenue growth, compared to 66% of teams that didn’t.

But while AI sales tools get results, it’s hard to tell them apart when their names seem similar. To help you out, here’s a closer look at AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps and what they’ll do for you.

AI SDRs vs AI BDRs vs AI sales reps

These concepts might sound similar. After all, each of them uses AI, they automate sales tasks, and they’re invaluable for hitting sales targets.

However, even though AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps are equally useful and have some degree of overlapping responsibilities, they do play their own unique role.

What is an AI SDR?

An AI SDR (sales development representative) is an AI-powered tool that automates the process of identifying and reaching out to leads. They often focus on top-of-the-funnel activities like prospecting and messages until leads book a demo.

Here’s what an AI SDR does:

• Automates cold outreach across different channels (email, phone, LinkedIn, text)
• Tracks outreach performance (opens, clicks, sign-ups, demos)
• Qualifies leads based on engagement
• Runs personalized outreach at scale

Imagine you need to email 500 leads and figure out whether they’re interested in your products or services, but you don’t have enough time or resources to manage the process. 

One option is an AI SDR. You can task it to write and deliver tailored emails, analyze a prospect’s engagement, and identify which leads are qualified.

What is an AI BDR?

An AI BDR (business development representative) is another AI solution that focuses on qualifying leads and building relationships with potential customers.

Here’s what an AI BDR does:

• Collects and analyzes data to identify high-potential leads
• Automates outbound prospecting (social media, emails)
• Engages new leads to develop opportunities
• Schedules meetings and manages initial interactions

For example, if you want to expand your lead database and connect with potential prospects, an AI BDR can analyze data from multiple sources (like social media or industry databases), identify opportunities, initiate contact with qualified leads, engage them with relevant information, and schedule meetings for your sales team.

What is an AI sales rep?

An AI sales rep is an AI-powered tool that handles customer inquiries, responds to clients, and helps move deals toward closure.

Here’s what an AI sales rep often does:

• Automates follow-ups and manages customer interactions
• Handles queries and objections
• Provides relevant information to push leads toward purchase

For instance, if you have a few qualified leads that need help moving forward, an AI sales rep engages with them, provides detailed product or service information, and addresses objections. It works alongside human sales teams, managing repetitive tasks like follow-ups and real-time responses to customer queries.

Key AI SDR, AI BDR, and AI sales rep differences

It’s important to know each sales tool’s functions and core qualities when selecting an AI solution for building out your sales process. 

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of some of the key differences between AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps.

Role in the sales funnel

While all three tools can be reconfigured to cover all stages of the funnel, they tend to perform better at specific stages.

Main goals

Each tool has a different goal in the sales process, making the entire journey from lead generation to closing more efficient. 

Underlying technology

All three tools use generative AI as their main driving force. However, the way AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps leverage AI and its subfields can vary due to differences in the tasks they handle.

AI SDRs use ML and NLP to manage lead generation and personalized outreach. ML helps tailor outreach by analyzing how leads engage with emails or content, while NLP examines customer responses to qualify leads.

AI BDRs rely on ML and predictive analytics to find new opportunities by analyzing large datasets, like social media and CRM systems. It prioritizes high-potential leads and nurtures relationships by tracking activities like social media posts or company updates. When something relevant happens, such as expansion or hiring, the AI BDR reaches out in a timely manner.

AI sales reps employ NLP and conversational AI to handle advanced interactions. NLP generates responses to complex inquiries, while conversational AI manages real-time, detailed conversations with potential customers.

Key performance indicators

Since each technology is responsible for a specific lead stage and has a different aim, AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps are best measured by different metrics.

Benefits of AI SDR, AI BDR, and AI sales rep software

Although AI SDRs, AI BDRs, and AI sales reps target different parts of the sales process, they all contribute to a streamlined and more effective sales flow.

By automating specific tasks, these tools help your business make the most of every sales opportunity. But what specific benefits can you expect from each of them?

AI SDRs — Lead qualification

AI SDR software is invaluable for teams with a large volume of potential leads, such as B2B SaaS companies or e-commerce platforms. If your sales representatives are overwhelmed by the number of prospects, they can’t easily tell which ones are worth pursuing. 

Here’s where an AI SDR comes in, helping with:

• Automating large-scale outreach
• Focusing on qualified leads by filtering out low-potential prospects
• Delivering personalized outreach at scale
• Keeping leads engaged through consistent follow-ups.

AI BDRs — Prospect nurturing

AI BDR tools work best when your business needs to identify and nurture long-term opportunities, such as prospects requiring multiple touchpoints before buying. It’s a perfect solution for companies focused on outbound sales and pipeline growth, such as consulting firms or those providing B2B services. 

An AI BDR can benefit your sales process by:

• Maintaining long-term engagement with leads
• Identifying the best time to re-engage prospects
• Freeing up time for your sales team to focus on high-value leads
• Nurturing relationships, ensuring no opportunities are missed.

AI sales rep — Closing the deal

For companies with complex products or services, such as software providers or high-end retail businesses, closing deals in the sales pipeline is a challenge. Clients are high intent and ready to buy, and they need detailed information before making a purchase decision.

Here’s what an AI sales rep can handle:

• Providing fast responses during negotiations
• Addressing objections in real-time to move deals forward
• Reducing the risk of missed follow-ups during deal closing
• Automating repetitive tasks, allowing your team to focus on closing deals.

Which software is more important for sales growth?

Easy. All of the above.

There’s a reason a lot of companies employ specialists in all three roles. Each has its own part to play in driving revenue growth.

If you’re looking for an AI solution that can cover your sales cycle from lead prospecting to demo, that’s where AiSDR comes in. AiSDR can cover the role of all three, as well as email marketing specialists and lead research.