In 2026, customer experience will define brand success more than product, price or convenience. In the experience economy, every interaction influences loyalty and lifetime value. Customers no longer compare you to your direct competitors; they compare you to the best experience they’ve ever had.

Meeting those expectations at scale requires a new kind of intelligence — artificial intelligence (AI). For CX leaders, AI is no longer an optional enhancement to strategy. It’s the foundation for delivering the types of experiences customers demand and employees need to deliver them.

We recently asked Genesys customers why they think AI is a non-negotiable for customer experience in 2026 and what advice they have for adopting more AI in the customer and employee experience. Their answers underscore the need to embed the technology across those experiences.

Higher Customer Expectations = Higher Stakes

Customers expect every brand interaction to be personalized, predictive and effortless. They expect to be understood across channels and time, not treated as a new case every time they reach out.

“Customers expect quick responses, personalization, multiple channels (voice, chat, mobile, social media) and for the company to ‘know’ who they are and what they need,” said Evelio Andres Lopez Rojas, Genesys Senior Developer at Communication Cellular SA. “AI allows these expectations to be met in a scalable way: real-time analysis, dynamic adaptations, 24/7 attention.”

Human effort alone can’t meet those expectations at the speed and scale required. AI provides the contextual intelligence and adaptability needed to understand intent, anticipate needs and respond in real time.

It helps to deliver experiences that feel both efficient and empathetic. And it lets organizations move from reactive service to proactive engagement.

“Without AI support for their customer experience, companies will fall short of the competition,” added Evelio Andres Lopez Rojas.

Orchestrating the End-to-End Journey

CX is rapidly evolving beyond basic chatbots that only handle basic tasks. Today’s shift is toward agentic AI — intelligent systems that can reason, plan and act toward a defined goal. Rather than follow scripts, they use context and historical data to determine the best next step, collaborate with humans, adapt to new information and complete multi-step tasks autonomously.

For customers, this means faster, more natural, outcome-driven interactions. For agents, it means less manual effort and richer context, freeing them to focus on the moments that require empathy and judgment. As AI matures, organizations are moving from task automation to outcome orchestration, measuring success not by how response time, but by how effectively humans and machines deliver the right result together.

This human-AI partnership is what makes modern experiences both intelligent and deeply human. AI can surface patterns, sentiment and next-step recommendations at scale, while people bring the creativity, reassurance and emotional understanding that build trust. When combined, the result is more meaningful interactions and less cognitive load for employees. 

“AI is like a fast-moving train: Organizations can choose to get on board or watch it pass. Those who embark with vision and purpose are rewriting the way we connect with people,” said Juan David Adarve, CEO of emtelco. “AI enables us to anticipate needs, automate processes and deliver more personalized interactions. Yet, its true power emerges when it acts as a conductor for what makes us human: empathy, creativity and the ability to understand emotions. We believe AI accelerates the journey — but it’s people who decide where that train is headed and how to turn every ride into an epic experience.”

Why 2026 Is a Turning Point

Many CX leaders have treated AI as a pilot project or future initiative. But the market has shifted. Customer expectations, competitive pressure and advances in AI technology have converged. Waiting another year to scale AI could mean losing ground that’s difficult to recover.

“AI systems learn faster than any training department. The brands that win will be the ones whose CX ecosystems learn from every ticket, every call, every silence on the line and adapt,” said Lorena Lovric, Director of Customer Service at Aterian. “If your competitors’ bots evolve daily while your team’s processes evolve quarterly, you’ve already lost the race. So, by 2026, the question isn’t ‘Should we use AI?’ It’s ‘How human can we make AI feel and how intelligently can we let humans lead?’

These three dynamics will make AI an imperative for CX organizations in 2026.

  1. Ever-evolving customer expectations. Experiences that once delighted are now table stakes. Customers want seamless, personalized journeys and proactive problem-solving — all of which require AI-driven intelligence.
  2. Technology maturation. Modern AI systems can understand context, learn from outcomes and integrate across the entire customer experience platform. They’re explainable, secure, adaptable and scalable.
  3. Operational resilience. Economic uncertainty and workforce shifts mean leaders must do more with less. AI can help stakeholders manage demand, reduce costs and improve employee satisfaction without sacrificing quality.

CX leaders who embed AI into their operating models in 2026 will set the standard for the next decade of experience innovation.

Mapping Your AI-Driven CX Strategy

To make AI a core part of your CX strategy, start with a clear vision of the outcomes you want to achieve. AI should not be a technology layer added on top of existing systems; it should be woven into the fabric of how you design, deliver and measure experiences.

“Adopting AI in customer and employee experience succeeds when you start small, solve real problems, empower humans, govern responsibly and scale iteratively,” said Dylan Vargas, Development Engineer at Revtec.

Here are five priorities to focus on as you prepare for 2026:

  1. Assess your current maturity. Identify where automation exists today and where AI can bring greater context and intelligence. Look for gaps in data, integration and visibility that limit insight. “Define which problems to solve, choose the right AI tools for each and ensure the employees are well trained to use them,” added Lawrence Pinheiro, Omnichannel Analyst at Claro.
  2. Evolve from automation to orchestration. Move beyond using AI to complete isolated tasks. Design AI systems that orchestrate entire journeys across channels and touchpoints.
  3. Invest in responsible AI. Transparency builds trust. Choose an AI-powered platform that’s designed with accountability at its core and has privacy, security and AI guardrails built in.
  4. Empower your workforce. Provide training and tools that help agents work seamlessly with AI. Encourage a culture that views AI as an enabler of better experiences, not a threat to human roles.
  5. Plan for ongoing improvement. An AI implementation is only the beginning. AI’s effectiveness depends on continuous refinement. “Collect customer and employee feedback to continually fine-tune the AI and ensure that it’s actually improving the overall experience,” said Pinheiro.

Organizations that follow these principles will be positioned to lead in the next phase of the experience economy — one where every interaction is intelligent, connected and emotionally resonant.

Human-Led, AI-Powered CX Will Win the Future

The future of customer experience isn’t about replacing human empathy with automation. It’s about using AI to extend empathy, making every interaction feel personal and effortless no matter the scale.

“Adopting AI isn’t just about implementing technology; it’s about transforming how people think, feel, and relate to it. The first step isn’t in the code; it’s in the culture,” said Adarve of emtelco.

“At emtelco, we’ve learned that AI works best when it serves talent, not the other way around. I encourage companies to prepare their teams to coexist with AI by strengthening human skills such as empathy, communication and adaptability — and by reinforcing the importance of always ensuring the ethical and safe use of AI. When technology combines with these human abilities, it stops being just a tool and becomes a true ally in creating more human, agile and memorable experiences.”

In 2026 and beyond, the brands that stand out will be those that understand AI isn’t a technology project; it’s a strategic capability that powers every engagement, every decision and every relationship.

AI is no longer negotiable. It’s the connective tissue of the experience economy. For CX leaders, the question isn’t whether to adopt AI. It’s how quickly you can make it the heart of your customer experience strategy. Read the 2026 Buyer’s Guide for AI and CX to see how you can evolve your customer experience with AI-powered technologies.