Research indicates that while 98% of contact centers have incorporated AI technologies, only 12% have successfully optimized their strategies for maximum effectiveness. This finding comes from USAN’s recently published report, “The State of AI in Customer Experience 2026: From Adoption to Strategy,” which emphasizes the gap between AI deployment and strategic implementation in the industry.
The report reveals an alarming 86-percentage-point disparity between adopting AI tools and integrating them effectively into business strategies. Despite nearly universal adoption, many organizations remain in a state of ‘pilot purgatory,’ relying on a fragmented assortment of disconnected chatbots and plugins that inhibit a cohesive customer experience.
A notable trend highlighted in the report is the shift from Generative AI to Agentic AI. This advanced technology is capable of autonomous action and automates routine tasks, thus elevating the importance of human agents who are increasingly engaged in complex, emotionally charged interactions. Farid Shenassa, Chief Technology Officer at USAN, notes that agents now face a 61% rise in challenging contact scenarios, underscoring the need for empathy and nuanced problem-solving skills.
The report also uncovers a significant infrastructural challenge: only 41% of contact centers operate fully on cloud systems, and 48% lack a formal AI governance framework. This inadequacy raises concerns about potential data privacy issues and operational inefficiencies.
USAN’s research encourages a reevaluation of traditional performance metrics, suggesting that measurements like Average Handle Time (AHT) are losing relevance as AI filters simpler calls. Instead, organizations are advised to adopt more strategic metrics, such as Bot Containment Rate, Sentiment Scores, and Net Revenue Retention (NRR), to gauge their effectiveness in the evolving landscape of customer service.
For access to the complete report, visit USAN’s official website.
