Are we reaching peak AI in customer experience—or missing the human touch?

Two new data points caught our attention recently: 

👉 86% of customers now trust AI-powered customer service, per Verint’s State of CX 2025. But here’s the nuance: they trust it if it solves their issue quickly and seamlessly. In fact, 73% of consumers now prefer digital channels—but 48% still value the ability to connect with a human when needed. 

👉 Meanwhile, Klarna’s bold AI chatbot rollout shows the risks of going too far. Despite boasting that its AI chatbot could do the work of 700 representatives, Klarna is now reinvesting in human talent after realizing AI-only interactions weren’t consistently meeting customer expectations or solving complex needs. 

Key takeaways: 

✅ Business outcomes matter more than AI hype—customers want resolution, not just automation 

✅ Hybrid CX wins—best-in-class CX combines fast self-service with easy escalation to empathetic human agents 

✅ One bad experience is costly—78% of customers will switch brands after poor service (Verint) 

Bottom line: In 2025 and beyond, AI should augment great CX, not replace it. The winners will be those who get the human-agent ratio right. The key question: how is your organization approaching this balance? 

#AI #CustomerExperience #CXAutomation #HybridCX #AIAgents #DigitalTransformation #AgenticAI