Nearly half of those implementing AI in customer experience (CX) are using it to assist human reps, boost productivity and personalize outreach, according to research published by CallMiner.
Based in Waltham, Mass., where it offers a range of automation products, CallMiner commissioned a third-party analyst firm to survey 700 people who work in CX and contact center roles to produce its 2026 CX Landscape Report.
Though nearly all those surveyed said they have some kind of automation in place today, CallMiner found less than a quarter have optimized the work they’ve automated using CX insights.
This points to a gap between data gathering and realizing value from it. For example, 59 per cent said they are actively putting together operational data across customer interactions, but 68 per cent said they are not utilizing CX data to their best advantage. This is up from 62 per cent when CallMiner fielded the same survey last year.
Part of the problem is figuring out the “how,” according to the report. Forty-seven per cent said they lack alignment on which customer actions should be automated, and 43 per cent said there was also division on the best way to use CX data to inform automation decisions.
CX pros nonetheless believe they’re on the right track. Half said they view their customer’s experience of automated interactions as mostly positive, and 24 per cent said very positive.
“Automation alone does not guarantee a better CX,” the report’s authors wrote. “Its success depends on how customer intelligence is leveraged to continuously improve interactions, including how and where automation and AI should be applied, and where human expertise remains essential.”
360 Magazine Insight
CallMiner chose to devote the rest of its analysis to the less than a quarter of CX professionals who see their automated interactions in a very positive light. While there is value in looking on the bright side, the data suggests there is considerate work to be done getting various stakeholders on the same page with how they’re using technology to engage customers.
Let’s start with the fact that more than three quarters are merely looking at automation based on internal needs. This is probably based on the assumption that if an organization can get its house in order behind the scenes, customers will ultimately benefit. Yet automation often forces customers to work digitally to solve their problems rather than connect with a human being, or leads to process breakdowns because their data doesn’t travel with them.
Rather than offer any tips on encouraging the team to rally around the idea of customer-led automation, CallMiner’s report is largely about further opportunities to make use of the technologies it provides.
That said, there is a lot in this ungated 21-page report that could be helpful to CX leaders, including AI adoption levels, customer-facing risks and more.