4 key predictions for the future of AI in the contact center

As it gains space and maturity in customer experience, a new report by Talkdesk Research reveals what to expect for the future of AI in the contact center.

Talkdesk Research™ delivers industry-leading insights on customer experience (CX). The future of AI in the contact center report outlines the key findings of a quantitative online survey with 916 interviews among CX professionals across 11 different global markets.

As you prepare to implement or augment AI in your contact center, this report will orient you on what to expect from AI and customer experience for the coming years.

AI in the contact center is gaining momentum.

AI continues to prove its ability to reduce manual effort, expedite innovation, and improve customer service. AI-powered tools, such as virtual agents and agent assistants, can now reliably perform critical contact center tasks with limited human intervention.

In turn, CX professionals have begun to recognize the growing opportunity for AI and its ability to elevate the customer experience—particularly via the contact center. Despite growing interest and investment in AI technologies in the contact center, there’s still room to embrace it in a more meaningful, transformative way.

Based on responses to our global survey, we have outlined four key predictions that will determine how AI will shape CX in the contact center from 2021 to 2025.

Prediction 1: Organizations will invest more in AI capabilities. 
Organizations are increasing their investment in AI/automation and will continue to do so. The growing evidence in AI’s maturity and proven technologies, as well as pressure to deliver faster, more accurate, and scalable service, is pushing AI maturity further.Prediction 2: Automation will drive operational efficiency and CX.
AI is perceived as a driver of increased efficiency. Automating processes and workflows allows organizations to save time both for agents and customers. AI also supports new customer service models in which customers can solve their own queries through self-service options.Prediction 3: Humans will rise in the AI-enabled contact center. 
For many years, there was some fear that AI would replace human agents. As technology matures, AI is understood to be a tool for human agents rather than their replacement. As AI reshapes the way contact centers operate, the role and necessary skills of the human agent are also expected to shift.Prediction 4: AI will streamline the customer journey securely. 
In the coming years, CX professionals will seek to leverage AI and automation to create a smoother, simpler, and more secure customer experience.For further detail about these four key predictions and the future of AI in customer experience and the contact center, download the report The future of AI in the contact center.