The Future of CX: AI First, Not AI Only

This article answers the question: How should leaders use AI in customer experience without sacrificing the human connection customers still value?

How can you not enjoy working with a company whose name is NiCE? Seriously, I’ve had the good fortune of working with NiCE for about 10 years. It is one of the largest AI companies for customer experience, working with businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to global enterprises. Recently, I’ve been working with Michele Carlson, senior product marketing manager, on several virtual events. Our most recent one was on the Top AI Trends CX Leaders Must Act On in 2026. 

I loved the event so much that I did a follow-up interview to talk about a few of my favorite trends that would apply to most of our subscribers.  

AI is shaping customer experience, yet people still love talking to live agents for customer support. As a matter of fact, my annual customer service and experience research finds that, given the choice between calling a company on the phone or using its digital options, including AI, 68% of American consumers prefer the phone. However, 47% of consumers said that even with their preference for the phone, they still want the digital option, and if it wasn’t provided, they would consider switching to a company that offered it. With that as a backdrop, here are three of my favorite trends from our conversation: 

1. AI-First CX Becomes the Dominant Model for Customer Engagement: This means we may suggest to our customers to use an AI solution, especially for simple tasks like checking on an order, making a change of address and other easy-to-do self-service tasks, but there should always, and I’ll emphasize the word always, be a quick and effortless way to connect to a live agent. Another way of saying this is: AI First, but Not AI Only.  

2. Agentic AI and LAMs (Language Action Models): AI is no longer just about conversation. Agentic AI can take action. For example, if I’m interacting with a chatbot about a problem, it can determine that I need a replacement and then perform the multiple time-consuming steps that humans normally do. AI updates the order, confirms shipping details, triggers warehouse fulfillment, generates necessary documents, and tracks the shipping, all without human intervention. This frees up employees to be more productive and efficient.   

3. Experience Memory Compounds AI Value: This is your secret weapon to creating loyalty with your customers. AI allows you to know your customers better than ever. It remembers everything, tracking sales history, buying patterns, preferences, and more. Chatbots can personalize the experience, almost as if they were human. And if the customer prefers talking to a live agent, AI can assist the agent by sharing similar information to help personalize the experience. In my book, I’ll Be Back, I write about the Cheers Factor, a callback to the 1980s sitcom with the theme song’s memorable line, “You want to go where everybody knows your name.” This is what customers want: to be noticed, recognized, and appreciated. An AI-assisted personalized experience takes knowing your customer to another level. Consider this: Memory is a loyalty multiplier! 

The future of customer experience isn’t AI versus humans. It’s AI working for humans. When AI handles the repetitive work, remembers customers, and knows when to step aside for a live agent, companies deliver faster service, more personalized experiences, and greater confidence that gets customers to say, “I’ll be back!

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.