2026 CX Trends Report: The Paradox of Progress

With every passing day, AI is evolving from a behind-the-scenes enabler to the architect of modern customer experience. Brands are no longer turning to AI solely to boost efficiency but are using it to transform the very fabric of how they communicate with – and care for – their customers, and how they pursue prospects.

We’re entering the age of AI-curated experiences, marking a shift from decision support to decision making. Direct AI-to-AI communications enable algorithms to do the thinking on both sides of the customer experience for the first time, so they can deliver more effective customer journeys as they interpret context, anticipate intent, and orchestrate interactions across every touchpoint.

Yet our 2026 CX Trends Report reveals progress comes with a paradox. People are open to being guided by AI, but they rank control as a top priority during those interactions, so they can change or reject the AI’s suggestions. Two-thirds (67%) of consumers want digital services to act more human when they’re stressed, but only 27% are comfortable with AI using signals to understand how they’re feeling. These examples illustrate the push and pull of CX transformation playing out in real time, and it’s up to brands to find the right balance.

The sheer speed at which AI is changing the landscape is also remarkable. 50% of brands say AI-curated experiences are already transforming their sector, and 79% say they will in the next 12 months. Here’s a snapshot of each of the five trends we explore in the report and their findings:

• Conversational interfaces – AI-powered voice and text interfaces are slowly but surely replacing traditional web and mobile experiences, enabling conversational interactions between consumers and brands. People’s willingness to use voice or chat interfaces varies by age, but 97% of brands expect them to be used widely in the next 2-3 years. So how can brands ensure they strike the right balance between conversational AI and other channels, and use this technology in a way that actually meets their customers’ unique needs?
• An instructional world – People’s lives are constantly being guided by AI recommendations: think comparison sites, personalized “watch next” suggestions, and even predictive text. The report reveals people’s comfort level with brands using AI to influence their decisions varies considerably by age and their immediate situation – something brands have to be aware of when they’re using AI in this way.
• Effortless access – Hyperconvenience is the new normal, but brands are failing to deliver: 58% of consumers say that, despite AI, it still takes too much effort to engage. The younger the age group, the lower their tolerance for inconvenience and the greater the likelihood they’ll walk away if the experience isn’t friction-free. Yet most brands worry that using AI to deliver effortless experiences risks sacrificing quality or becoming less distinctive.
• Platform unification – Whether it’s booking a hotel room, managing finances, or streaming content, 73% of consumers find jumping between multiple platforms for one task frustrating. Could AI act as a “universal interface,” allowing it to navigate fragmented systems and apps with ease? A huge 92% of brands agree that AI can unify journeys, but they also believe only brands can create memorable moments.
• Empathetic interactions – Emotionally intelligent AI is on the rise, but for some people, AI that senses and responds to how they’re feeling seems like a step too far. While 38% of them say they don’t want AI reading their emotions, 81% of brands believe those brands that automate without empathy won’t survive the decade.

As AI continues to evolve from enabler to orchestrator, the challenge for brands is knowing where to focus their next CX transformation efforts. The report takes a deep dive into each of these trends, delivering a clear view of how AI is reshaping the CX landscape and data-driven insights into customer sentiment for the shift toward AI-curated experiences.

The message is clear: the key to powerful AI-curated experiences lies in combining the power of artificial and human intelligence. As long as robust data foundations and strong ethical principles underpin their use of AI, brands can then anticipate change, make smarter decisions, and deploy AI in ways that actually align with people’s priorities.

To read our evidence-based findings in full and discover validated approaches to building AI-curated experiences that will resonate with your customers, download the 2026 CX Trends Report.